


Yes, My Love

by the2anime_fanatics



Series: Yes, My Lady [2]
Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: But she's also going through a lot of stuff, Chrystal - Freeform, Chrystal is a fighter, F/M, Family, Girl Power, I know this one is a little all over the place, Prophecy, Sequel, She may act like a baby, but i love it anyway, but she's my baby, friends - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-04
Updated: 2020-05-14
Packaged: 2021-02-23 08:48:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 67
Words: 79,515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23008849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the2anime_fanatics/pseuds/the2anime_fanatics
Summary: (Sequel to Yes, My Lady)Chrystal Foster has seen it all. She has witnessed the death of her parents, the kidnapping of her servants, and nearly lost her life in order to help save them. She even has a contract with a certain demon named Sebastian that should have already expired. But when Sebastian finally confessed his love for her, he refused to consume her soul. Now, they live life as they had for the last four years, hoping all of the excitement is over.But even after all of Chrystal's hopes and wishes for her life to finally settle down, a friend turns up at her house with some news that both devastates and excites her. Chrystal may finally end up with some answers to questions that have been eating away at her for the last 4 years. Will Chrystal get what she wants to hear, or will the truth of what happened years ago be too much for her to handle? Will Sebastian remain by her side?Read to find out!!
Relationships: Sebastian Michaelis/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Yes, My Lady [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1650061
Comments: 1
Kudos: 5





	1. Chapter 1

"Sebastian?" I called from the main hall. I'd searched the whole mansion for him and had no luck. He was almost always by my side. So where was he now?

After a few long moments of waiting, I gave a long and heavy sigh. Clearly, my demon butler was ignoring me. Based on the rules of our contract, he was suppose to listen to me and come when I called for him. But I guess we'd both thrown the rules of said contract to the wind for the past month, so maybe that explained a little.

But even if he was ignoring the terms of our contract, he hadn't once for the last month completely ignored me when I called for him. I knew he was a demon and virtually invincible, but I couldn't help starting to worry. Human nature, I guess. We worry about the ones we love.

I gave up looking for him. He would come back later. I knew he would. He wouldn't leave me forever. If he'd wanted to, he would've eaten me and done it by now.

I made my way up the stairs and started walking towards my bedroom. I decided I would try to take a nap in the free time that I had. It'd been an exhausting morning and afternoon.

I yawned, opening my bedroom door. I rubbed my tired eyes, and then opened them, gasping at what stood before me. Well, knelt.

Sebastian was knelt on the floor by the door, holding a single black rose. He smiled at me as I entered the room.

He stood and walked over to me, offering the rose. I accepted it, then looked down at it, smiling. It was beautiful.

"Thank you," I said, smiling up at him, "but what's the occasion?"

He smiled back gently. "Does their need to be one?"

I looked back down to examine the rose again. "I guess not. I'm just not really used to getting presents for no reason."

Sebastian gently grabbed my chin with his thumb and forefinger and made me look up at him. "Chrystal, there is a reason. Just not a specific occasion." He then bent down and kissed me softly.

When he pulled away, we smiled at each other. My gaze eventually returned to the rose. "Get me a vase for this, would you?" I asked. No matter what happened between us, at the end of the day, we were still technically in a contract, and he was still technically my servant.

He bowed to me. "Yes, My Love," he said, then left the room.

I sat on my bed, twirling the flower between my fingers. No one had ever gotten me flowers before. Sure, there had been flowers at my parents' funeral, but those were just for the room and out of respect for the nobles that had been lost. They were for my parents, not for me. And Jasmine had brought some to my hospital room, but those were from our own garden, and they were only to bring some color to the room. The lack of color had nearly driven me insane.

Sebastian returned a moment later with a clear glass vase. He set it on my nightstand. After taking one last whiff of the flower, I gently placed it in the vase. It made me so happy to see it there.

I glanced back over to Sebastian. "As kind as your surprise was, I'm really tired. I'm going to try to take a nap. Can you come wake me in a couple of hours if I'm not up yet?"

Sebastian nodded, smiling. "As you wish, Chrystal."

I returned his smile, and he came over and kissed me one last time before turning and leaving the room.

I brought my fingers to my lips. It still shocked me that he felt the same way I did about him. All my life, I'd been taught that demons and the devil only wanted to make humans' lives nothing but pain and suffering. I'd been taught that demons were emotionless shells that only existed to do the devil's bidding. But Sebastian made that seem impossible. The way he would kiss me, caress my cheek, look at me... He did them all with so much love in his eyes that he couldn't have possibly not cared for me.

I shook the thoughts from my head. I didn't need to convince myself that he loved me. What I needed was to change out of my party dress and take a nice long nap. I went to my dresser and pulled out some cute black pajamas with penguins on the (because I will always be a child at heart), and climbed into bed. I buried myself in the covers, and fell into a restful sleep. 


	2. Chapter 2

_Sebastian set me down on my feet carefully, then gently took my hand and led me over to a beautiful garden. It was dead, with bare trees and black, dried ivy clinging desperately to the stone walls, but it was still lovely._

_Front and center of it all was a stone bench, where Sebastian gracefully perched me. He knelt before me, smiling. I returned his smile._

No matter what, _I thought as I stared into Sebastian's glowing red eyes._ No matter what he may feel towards me, I love him. No matter what, I'll be with him always.

_Sebastian seemed to want to take his time, and I allowed him. It wouldn't have been very polite for me to force him not to savor his meal._

_He took my left arm in his hands and pulled my glove off with his teeth, then turned my arm over to where the seal of our contract was contrasting against my pale skin. He slowly bent over and kissed the mark softly._

_I giggled, and he glanced up at me curiously._

_I smiled at him. "Always so dramatic," I said, shaking my head._

_He smiled, then held my hand in his and used his other to move some stray hair out of my face. I felt myself lean into his touch._

_"Will it hurt?"_

_His smile changed, but I couldn't place it. He simply shook his head._

_Relieved that I would feel no pain, I relaxed and closed my eyes._

_I felt Sebastian move closer, and soon enough, it was happening. His lips reached mine, and they stayed there for what felt like forever._

_But then he pulled away. I opened my eyes. Was it done? Was I alive? What was going on?_

_I looked to Sebastian. Unable to form words, I simply stared at him in what I hoped was obvious confusion._

_When he said nothing, I looked around. I seemed to be in the same place. Sebastian seemed real enough. They say that before you die, your life flashed before your eyes. Was the place I was seeing just from my last living moments?_

_Soon enough, I was finally able to form words. "Sebastian?"_

_"Yes, Chrystal?"_

_I eyed him suspiciously. "Am I dead?"_

_"No, Chrystal."_

_I was even more confused. "I'm alive? But how? You were supposed to eat me."_

_He leaned over and pressed his lips to mine once again, this time with a different kind of hunger. When he pulled away, he was giving me his signature smile. Then it hit me, and I had never heard anything more wonderful than the words that came from his mouth._

_"My Lady," he said as he opened his eyes to stare honestly into mine. "How could I possibly eat the one I love?"_

_I sat there, gaping at him. He was refusing to end our contract? But didn't he, like, have to end it? What was going to happen to him by refusing it?_

_Then his words finally sank in, and my gaping mouth turned into one of the biggest smiles I've ever had. I wrapped my arms around my butler. My love._

***

When I woke up, it was to knocking at the door. I called something I couldn't even understand due to my grogginess, and heard the door open. I sat up, becoming aware of everything again as I started to shake the sleep away, and glanced toward the door, expecting it to be Sebastian.

Instead, I saw Sarah, my house maid, watching me sweetly. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and yawned one last time before getting out of bed and walking over to her.

"Sarah?" I asked, slightly confused. "What are you doing here? I thought I'd asked Sebastian to wake me up?"

Sarah's expression changed from sweet to serious. "Yes, Chrystal, you did. He is currently occupied, so he asked me to come fetch you instead."

"Occupied? With what?" I asked, even more confused. If Sebastian was busy with something that took him longer than a couple of seconds to complete, it had to be something important.

"I believe it would be better if I showed you. Please get dressed and meet me in the hallway. I'll take you to him."

As she turned to leave, I saw her eyes linger on the black rose on my bedside table for a short moment. She didn't question it, and walked out of the room like nothing was different.

I faced my closet, eyeing each of the dresses as I took off my pajamas. _What could Sebastian be so busy with? Why was it something Sarah said I should see? If it's simple housework, nothing would have happened._

I glanced over from my closet to the clock on the wall. I had only been asleep for half an hour. I'd wanted to be woken after I slept for a while. _What is going on?_

I finally picked out a solid black dress that was fitted to my torso and had a flowing skirt, then pulled my favorite black flats from under my bed and slipped them on. I ran a brush through my hair, and finally opened the door to my bedroom to see an impatient Sarah. Well, not so much impatient, because Sarah was the most patient person I'd ever met. Maybe on edge was a better way to describe her.

"Sarah?" I asked, beginning to worry. "What's happening?"

She gave me a forced smile. "Follow me, please."

She began walking down the hall and toward the stairs to the lobby. I followed her quickly as she descended the stairs without her normal grace. Something was definitely wrong here.

She led the way through the lobby and into a small sitting room that we never really used. Confused, I followed her in, then gasped at what I saw.

Sebastian was standing in the room, but he had an unexpected visitor with him.

The man gave me a half smile. "Hey, Chrystal Foster. It's been a while."

"James?" I asked in shock. I shook my head to clear it. "What are you doing here? Why is everyone so on edge?"

His half smile faded into a serious expression, and I was immediately scared of what he would say next.

"Chrystal," he said softly. "A middle aged couple came forward late last night. They claim to be the ones who killed your parents."


	3. Chapter 3

My knees gave out from shock. Sarah caught me before I hit the ground, and I willed my legs to work again. _What? Someone came forward? After all these years?_

I wanted to ask these questions aloud, but I couldn't seem to get any muscle in my body to function properly. Out the corner of my eye, I saw Sarah glance up to Sebastian. He quickly came over and took me from her, then sat me on the couch. All I could do was stare at James.

He cleared his throat; clearly he hadn't expected this to be the response he got from me. "Chrystal, I came by because I need to ask you a few questions about that night."

My body was slowly recovering from the shock as his words began to sink in. I nodded.

He pulled out a small notepad and pen. "Alright, we'll start simple. What happened that day. Where were you going, what had you been doing, etc."

I swallowed the lump in my throat, then glanced over to Sebastian and Sarah, then back to James. "B-before we start," I stammered, gesturing for him to take a seat, "would you like any refreshments or snacks? The police station is a ways away, I'm sure you had quite the journey."

James smiled. "Some water will be fine, thanks."

I glanced up to Sarah. "Would you please?"

She smiled and nodded, then left the room.

With that out of the way, I sat back and thought about what we had been doing that day. James sat across from me on the opposite couch, and watched me patiently, pen at the ready. My eyes wandered to the gun in its holster on his belt. _I wonder if it's the same gun he shot me with,_ I thought with an unnoticeable smile.

"I don't really remember what we had been doing that day. Maybe we had been at the mall all day. I do know that we were on our way home when it happened."

James made some notes on his notepad. "Do you remember what you were doing in the car? Were you all sitting in silence? Talking? Wearing seat belts?"

I frowned, the memories all flowing back to me. I stopped answering his questions for a moment. I had one of my own.

"James, why are you doing this? The police questioned me in the hospital after the accident. They already know everything that I do."

James glanced up from his notes to me. "That couple who came forward and claimed to be the killers, remember? My boss wants to make sure your story lines up with theirs before we take any drastic measures."

"Then check it against what I've already told you," I cried softly. "James, I don't want to think about this anymore..."

His expression softened. "Chrystal, I didn't want to come here today. I told my superiors the same thing you're telling me now. But they told me something that I wasn't supposed to tell you, and that's the reason I have to do this."

I wiped a tear from my eye. "What are you not supposed to tell me?"

James appeared to be torn. If it was something about the closed case of my parents' deaths, then I deserved to know about it. Eventually, he gave in to mine and Sebastian's stares.

"This couple isn't the first to come forward. There have been countless others ever since the accident."

"What? Why? How?" I was speechless.

"I don't know. All we know is that none of the stories have aligned with the one you gave us. Therefore, I was sent here to see if there was anything different you hadn't thought of before."

There was a quiet knock on the door then, and Sebastian walked over to answer it. When he returned, Sarah was with him, holding two glasses of ice water.

"Thank you," James smiled, accepting the glass offered to him.

I didn't even look up as Sarah placed my glass on the coffee table. I was stunned. People were lying and claiming to be my parents' killers? Why would someone do that? They would gain nothing other than life in prison.

No one but me knew any details about the accident other than that it was a hit and run, and that both my parents had lost their lives.

"So," James said, placing his glass on the table, "would you mind answering the rest of my questions? I'll be out of your hair soon. It's only a few."

I nodded numbly, and he repeated his question.

"We were on our way home," I said again. "Mom and Dad told me there was a surprise waiting for me, and I begged them to tell me what it was. Mom finally told me that they had hired a new maid; one that was my age and could be my friend. She apologized for how lonely I had been because of being home schooled and not being allowed to socialize with the neighborhood kids. I told her I was fine, and that I hoped the new maid and I got along. Then the car hit us. It came out of nowhere. I hadn't seen it, and I highly doubt either of my parents had." I swallowed another lump in my throat as the tears pooled in my eyes again. "Mom and Dad had both been wearing their seat belts. I hadn't. I flew through the windshield due to the force of the impact, while they both died in the car."

James wrote everything down quickly. "And the paramedics? Did they say anything to you on your way to the hospital? Or did any doctors?"

I shook my head. "The paramedics only talked amongst each other about how I should've been dead. The doctors in the hospital only told me that I would live, my parents had died, and a nurse told me I must've been caught by my guardian angel after I flew out of the car." I lightly touched the scar on the back of my head. It had been the only major wound I'd received, and it was from the glass of the windshield as I flew headfirst out of the car. The glass had already been mostly shattered, so there had been no sign of trauma or impact with the pavement. Something had to have caught me.

James smiled as he wrote everything down. "Well, thank your guardian angel for me next time you see her."

I gave him a weak smile in return, before the tears overflowed and streamed down my face.

Sarah immediately sat down beside me and held me. It wasn't the first time I had broken down like this, and it certainly wouldn't be the last, and Sarah was always the one who consoled me.

"I miss them so much," I cried to no one in particular.

Sarah was there, smoothing my hair lovingly and whispering in my ear, trying to calm me.

James stood. "I'm sorry I came over unannounced and upset you. We are doing everything we can to find out who it really was." He looked like he was hesitating to say something, but then seemed to not care anymore if he was reprimanded. "Chrystal, this case was never closed, like you were told. It is still very much open, and we've been going through more and more suspects every day. We won't stop until you finally have at least a little bit of closure, I can promise you that."

I pulled away slightly from Sarah's embrace. "Really?"

James gave me a soft smile, nodding.

More tears fell from my eyes, but these were happy tears. Finally. Finally I would get some closure. Finally I would know who killed my parents. 


	4. Chapter 4

After Sebastian and I saw James out, I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. James and I were friends, sure, but the fact that there was a man in my house that I didn't really know all that well who was over a decade older than me was still a little strange. But also, Sebastian is who knows how many years older than me, and I accepted him just fine.

Sebastian noticed my long exhale, and walked over to me. "Something the matter?"

I started to shake my head out of habit, but quickly stopped myself. Something was definitely wrong, but I had no idea how to tell Sebastian about it. I couldn't even describe it to myself. Something just felt wrong.

I glanced up at him. "Do you have any idea why so many people would do such a thing? They have nothing to gain from this."

Sebastian's expression turned serious. "I do not know for sure, but we cannot rule out any possibilities."

"So you have an idea?" I asked.

He gave a small smile. "More of a theory, really."

"And what might that be?"

Sebastian lost his smile. "The man who took your friends about a year ago."

I stared at him in confusion. "But he's dead. What could he have to do with any of this?"

"James told you that these suspects have been coming forward ever since the accident. I have a feeling that he sent the people who are turning themselves in. It's confusing the police, and leading them off the trail of the investigation."

"So this man didn't want me to find out who killed my parents?"

Sebastian nodded.

"But he's dead!" I yelled, trying to get my point across. "Why would people keep coming?"

Sebastian glanced behind me for a quick moment, and I followed his gaze, but whoever or whatever was there had disappeared.

"Perhaps they do not know of his death yet, or they were ordered to keep going no matter what happened to him. He may want the stress of the situation to drive you mad."

"If that's the case, he may just get what he wanted," I mumbled under my breath.

Sebastian heard it and was beside me in an instant, holding me. "No, he won't. I will not let anything happen to you ever again, Chrystal. I swear it."

I was about to hug him back when he turned suddenly, pulling me with him. I let out a cry of shock at the sudden movement, then screamed in panic as I heard shattering glass and guns firing.

I felt Sebastian's body move as the bullets made impact. I almost screamed again out of terror that he was hurt before I remembered there was no way to hurt him. He would be fine. It was me we had to worry about.

Sebastian gently pushed my legs out from under me and lifted me up. I was significantly smaller than he was, so almost all of my body was able to hide in front of him. I kept my head on his chest and clung to his coat for dear life.

There was a large gust of wind, and then silence. I opened my eyes and lifted my head slightly. We were in a guest bedroom. He was hiding me.

He set me down gently on the untouched bed. I felt my body shaking with fear. What was going on? No one had ever dared attack the house before....

"Chrystal," Sebastian called out softly, comfortingly. I looked up at him, but my body refused to stop trembling.

He gave me a gentle smile, then held out his hand. In it was my twin swords, shining in the light.

"I will not let them get this far, but if one were to try to get in another way, I need you to be prepared to defend yourself."

I gulped, and gave a slight nod, reaching out a shaking hand and accepting the offered blades.

Sebastian then suddenly leaned forward and kissed me. At his touch, my quivering subsided, and I knew I would be safe with him nearby.

When he pulled away, he gave me an encouraging smile. "Be strong, My Love," he said.

I quickly grabbed his arm before he could turn and leave. "Please, make sure the others are alright. Don't let anything happen to them."

Sebastian bowed to me deeply. "Of course, My Lady."

***

After Sebastian left the room, I took a deep breath and put my guard up. I held my swords tightly in my hands, ready for anything.

The gunshots from the lobby were a ways away, so I must have been on the far side of the manor. It made sense; Sebastian wasn't just going to throw me into an adjacent room.

My mind began to wander as I stood listening to everything around me. Why were these people here? Who were they? What did they want? They attacked shortly after James left. Had he heard the gunshots? Had he come back to help?

 _The police!_ I suddenly thought to myself. We had to call the police. Last time we killed someone out of self defense, we were forced on the run and spent more than a month hiding out in a cave.

I frantically searched the room for a phone, but seeing as how it was a guest room, there wasn't one anywhere to be found. I sighed, then raised my guard up again. If I couldn't call for help, then I would have to defend myself. I wasn't some damsel in distress. I was strong. I'd proven that to myself multiple times.

Suddenly, I heard glass shattering. I turned to face the window, and a shard flew at me, slicing a deep gash into my cheek.

Out the window, illuminated by the light of the setting sun, was a man wearing black, a mask covering his face. He flashed an evil grin, then pointed his gun right at me and pulled the trigger.


	5. Chapter 5

The next millisecond happened in slow motion. The gun fired, and I quickly moved my swords in to deflect the bullet. They did just that, and the bullet bounced back and hit the man in the hand, knocking his gun to the ground.

Through the broken window, I could hear the sirens of police cars. _Good, someone was able to get to a phone._

The man before me, also hearing the sirens, gave me a dirty and annoyed look, as if he was trying to decide if he should run away or pounce on me. I steadied my swords, ready for either choice he made.

He seemed to have enough common sense to realize that he could not fit through the broken window. He turned and began to run away from the house, towards the woods. Taking a couple of steps back, I took a running jump and dove through the hole. Jagged glass tore at my dress and sliced my skin, but I ignored the burning pain as I landed on my feet in the grass and sprinted after the fleeing man. He and his cohorts had attacked my house and endangered the lives of my family. He was not going to get away from me so easily.

I chased him into the forest, where I lost him in the thick trees. I froze, listening around me. I could hear animals moving in the brush, the leaves dancing in the wind, the distant gunshots coming from my house, and the wailing sirens as the police cars sped through the streets. I closed my eyes and tuned all of these sounds out. Then I heard it.

Tiptoeing footsteps.

I quickly located the source of the sound and threw the sword in my right hand at it. I heard a male cry, and I opened my eyes. I had hit his right shoulder. _Good,_ I thought to myself. _A nonfatal attack._

I ran up to him, took my sword by the hilt, and pulled. He screamed as the sword came loose from his flesh and slid out of him. Blood spurted from the wound and onto my hand and dress, but I ignored it and held my sword up to his neck. I wouldn't kill him. I just wanted to see if I could make him talk.

"Who sent you?" I demanded to know. "Why are you attacking my house?"

He gave a single laugh, and I pressed the sword against his skin.

"Answer me!"

"Chrystal, get back!"

I turned to see who had called my name, and saw James running toward us. I smiled. _Finally._

But the man behind me took my distraction as his saving grace. He expertly kick my legs out from under me, almost causing me to land on my swords. He stomped on my left hand, and took the sword from me. I glanced up in time to see my own blade swinging down on me.

I closed my eyes and braced myself, but the blade never came. Instead, I felt myself be lifted off the ground and the wind as I was moved away from the attacker.

I opened my eyes and looked up. Sebastian was holding me tightly, protectively. I smiled, and finally let myself relax a little, cradling my damaged hand in my other. I glanced back over to the man who still had my sword in his hands. James had him at gunpoint.

"Drop the weapon!" James demanded.

The man smirked, then threw my sword at James. I would have been worried, but the man had clearly never thrown a weapon of that size before, or maybe any size, really. The sword flew at James, hilt first, then ended up missing him completely.

I expected James to shoot him, but he had more self control than I thought. Maybe he knew the sword wouldn't hit him, and that was why he didn't seem fazed. He approached the now unarmed attacker and cuffed him.

Seeing the man apprehending, I finally relaxed completely and let the pain begin to make itself known. I groaned softly, leaning even more into Sebastian.

He loosened his protective hold on me and assessed the damage. There was the deep gash on my cheek, the tears in my dress and slices all over my body, and my injured hand.

James kept his gun out, while his other hand was holding onto the attacker. The police radio on his belt crackled to life, but I couldn't understand what was said. From James' sigh of relief, however, I could assume.

"The house has been searched and cleared. You're free to go back." James approached us, gasping when he finally noticed my injuries. "We should take her to the hospital. She-"

"No!" I cried, surprising James and stopping him mid sentence. "I don't want to go back to the hospital. I'm fine. Just a little scratched up."

James sighed. "Chrystal, your cheek is bleeding pretty bad. It probably needs stitches. You need to at least go see a doctor."

"Sarah can take care of me. Her parents taught her first aid and more. I'll be fine." I glanced up at Sebastian, then leaned against his shoulder again, staring down at my injured hand. "Please, don't make me go back there..."

Sebastian was silent for a long moment, and I could picture his grim face as he assessed the situation. Finally, he answered, directing his attention to James. "We'll see what Sarah can do for her first. If she says Chrystal needs to go to the hospital, we will take her."

I saw James hesitantly nod out my peripheral vision, and I sighed to myself. I'd been to the hospital enough times in my life. I didn't want to go back.

"Well," James said, sounding defeated, "I'm going to take this one back to the others and we'll throw him in a car. I'm sorry this happened, Chrystal, I wish I'd..."

But I couldn't understand his words anymore. I felt myself becoming dizzy, and I soon passed out in Sebastian's arms. 


	6. Chapter 6

When I woke up again, I was lying on a couch in the living room, and someone was touching my cheek.

I carefully opening my eyes and saw Sarah kneeling on the floor beside me. She smiled when she noticed I was waking up, and I tried to smile back, but the pain in my cheek stopped me from doing so.

"You're lucky that cut wasn't any higher. You could've lost your eye."

"How long was I out?" I asked.

"Not long, a half an hour at most, I think."

I sat up and instantly regretted it. My head was still spinning.

"Take it easy, Chrystal," Sarah said quickly, grabbing my shoulders to prevent me from standing. "You passed out from blood loss, and I haven't been able to bandage you up completely yet. The last thing you need to be doing is getting up."

The pain from the rest of my cuts and my hand then decided to make itself known. I held in a groan. "Where's Sebastian?"

"The police were questioning him. I don't know if they've finished yet or not."

I nodded. "So I'm guessing from the fact that I'm lying on the couch that I don't have to go to the hospital?"

Sarah smiled. "The worst injury you have is the cut on your cheek, and it doesn't appear to need stitches. I also doubt you'll have any kind of scar."

I sighed in relief, then looked down at my aching hand. "What about my hand?"

"Just some bad bruising, I believe. If it doesn't stop hurting within the next couple of days we can see about having a doctor make a house visit."

I smiled. I didn't have to go to the hospital. That was a huge relief.

A moment later, the door to the room creaked opened. I turned my head at the sound of it, and saw Sebastian and James enter. They both smiled when they saw me awake. I gave a small smile in return, trying not to hurt my cheek again.

"Wonderful, you're awake," James commented as he came over and sat on the couch across from me.

I sat up a little, causing Sarah to give me a look. I ignored it. I had a guest; I felt it would be impolite and improper to just lay there while we talked.

"I thought you would have gone back by now," I said.

"We've been questioning your friends," he answered. "We needed to know what happened."

"A bunch of people dressed in black and wearing masks broke in and started attacking me. What more is there to know?"

"We just need to do our jobs, Chrystal, and part of that includes questioning all witnesses."

"Did they tell you anything you didn't already know?"

James smiled a little at my confusion. "They did, actually. You're cook said she was able to run from one room to the other without being targeted. They let her go."

I gasped suddenly and sat up quickly, looking between Sarah, Sebastian, and James. "The others!! Are they all okay? What happened to Thomas and Jasmine?!"

"Chrystal, calm down!" Sarah shouted. "You are still very weak. You need to rest."

"But-"

"They will be fine," James answered calmly.

"'They _will_ be'? What happened to them?!" Had they gotten hurt? What happened?

Sebastian sat beside me and put a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Jasmine went into shock when she saw the men break into the house, and Thomas fought against a man who tried to follow you into the woods. He sustained no injuries other than a blow to the head, where the man knocked him unconscious to try to follow you." He gave me a reassuring smile. "They will both be just fine."

I sighed in relief. No one else was hurt. I felt my body relax and Sarah was finally able to force me to lay down again.

"Chrystal, I know you are relieved none of your friends were injured, but we need to talk about this," James said.

"About what? No one else was hurt, which means I was clearly the target." I knew that from the beginning, but speaking the fact aloud sent chills down my spine. I was being targeted. People were trying to kill me.

James nodded. "It seems that way, yes."

"So now what do we do?" I asked. "Clearly I shouldn't go out in public, but my house apparently isn't safe, either."

James gave me a smile. "You seem to have a very capable butler at your disposal. I don't see a reason to confine yourself to your home as long as he's with you, at least. As for your house, we'll find some people to replace the windows for you, and place some officers on watch around the property. If that's alright with you, of course."

I didn't even think about it. I nodded. "As long as they don't come inside. You guys make Jasmine anxious. But Maia can feed them and then they can switch out throughout the day." I didn't want them inside. While they did make Jasmine nervous, all of them but James affected me a whole lot more. It made me feel like something horrible was definitely about to happen, and I didn't need that stress right now.

James nodded. "That's very kind of you to offer. I don't see any need for them to enter the house unless something happens."

I turned my gaze toward the ceiling, processing everything. People were going to be standing guard outside my house. People were targeting me. People were trying to kill me.

I directed my next question at James, but my eyes never left to white ceiling. "Do you think the person behind this is the same as the one sending all those people who claim to have killed my parents?"

Out the corner of my eye, I saw Sebastian's innocent smile falter. He knew it was possible. Had he not wanted me to connect the two? Had he thought it would terrify me even more?

I couldn't see James, but I heard his grim expression as he spoke. "I'm not sure, but we won't rule it out." He stood, and I finally returned my gaze to him. He gave me a soft smile. "I would assume now that your life is in danger, the police will be more open with you about the investigation. I cannot be certain, as I'm not in charge of it, but it only seems fair. I'll keep you posted on what I can."

"Thank you, James."

"I'm just doing my job, Chrystal. I'm going to leave a few officers here for the night. I'll be sure they stay outside." He lost his smile. "Chrystal, you are very skilled with your swords, and you know how to defend yourself. I do not want to hear that you have attacked someone, or something similar to what happened about a year ago may happen again. Defend yourself and call for help."

I nodded. "I never wanted to kill anyone..."

James' smile returned. "I know. Luckily, you yourself haven't yet. You've dealt some pretty serious injuries, though. That's the only reason I'm warning you. There's a fine line between attacking out of self defense and just attacking because you can. I don't want to see you cross it."

I nodded again. I knew I couldn't promise him anything. I knew I would end up hurting people again, but at the very least I was able to acknowledge what he said.

"Well," he said, taking a step toward the door, "I suppose I should take my leave. I wish you a speedy recovery."

"Thank you. I'd walk you out, but..."

"I understand. Don't worry, I can manage." He waved goodbye, then left the room.

"Sebastian," Sarah said after a moment, "I'm nearly finished patching her up. Would you mind taking her up to her room in a moment?"

"Of course," he smiled.

Sarah finished bandaging me quickly, told me not to move too much, then left. Sebastian then lifted me into his arms. I lay my head on his shoulder, and fell asleep before we ever made it to my bedroom. 


	7. Chapter 7

I woke up as Sebastian lay me in my bed, but refused to open my eyes. He would leave in a moment and I would go right back to sleep. There was no need for me to acknowledge him.

There was a moment where I felt the mattress give a little as one of his hands pressed against the bed. My heartbeat quickened. What was he doing?

I heard him chuckle softly. Great, he knew I was awake. I ignored it, pretending to be asleep, hoping he would get the message to leave me alone.

Then his lips softly brushed mine. He kissed me for a long moment, then pulled away. The mattress lifted again as he removed his hand, and my heartbeat finally slowed again.

I felt his gloved hand lightly touch my skin as he moved some stray hairs out of my face. "Sleep well, My Love," he whispered, then placed one last kiss on my forehead before leaving the room, leaving me smiling as I drifted off to sleep.

*

I woke up again to a loud commotion in my house. I sat up slowly, rubbing the sleep from my eyes as my body began to ache again, making sure to remind me of the events of the day before. My left hand still hurt to move. I held it against me as I stood on weak legs and made my way over to the door.

It creaked as I slowly opened it, and outside I found Maia, Sarah, and Sebastian, all arguing about something. I sighed in relief. I had been worried something bad was happening.

They all looked to me at the same time, and I just stared at them blankly. "What's going on?" I asked, holding back a yawn.

Sebastian stepped between Sarah and Maia, then turned me and led me back to bed, his hand on the small of my back. "Sarah wanted to change your bandages, and Maia wanted to see if you were hungry. I was trying to tell them to let you rest, but neither of them wanted to listen, I'm afraid."

I crawled back into bed, Sebastian laying the covers over me. "That's a relief. I was scared something was happening again."

Sebastian gave me his signature, innocent smile. "No, Chrystal. Nothing has happened since last night."

"Good," I sighed. Either the police were doing their job, the men hadn't been back yet, or Sebastian was getting rid of them before the cops ever saw them. And out of any of the options, I didn't really care what was happening. As long as my family was safe, I was happy.

"Since you're awake..." Maia chimed in.

I glanced over to her. "I'm not hungry, Maia, but thank you."

Sarah glanced between us. "Your bandages..."

Sebastian answered for me. "You may come take care of her cheek, Sarah. You can check on any other injuries once she's ready to get up." He glanced down at me, smiling softly. "It is still very early in the morning. You should probably get some more rest."

I nodded, and he smiled at me one more time before leaving the room, Maia following behind him.

Sarah ran over with a first aid kit I hadn't realized she was holding. "I'll only be a minute."

I nodded to her, then let her pull the bandage from my face, clean the cut, then place a clean bandage over it.

"It isn't bleeding anymore, it seems," she said as she put her things back into the small kit, "but I want to keep it covered for just a little bit longer to keep any germs out."

"Thanks, Sarah," I called out softly as she was turning to leave.

She turned back to me with a smile. "It is my pleasure, Chrystal. Sleep well," and with that, she left the room, letting the door creak closed behind her.

I lay there in silence for a moment, thinking about last night. People were coming forward saying they were the people behind the hit and run that killed my parents over four years ago. A group of people attacked my house and tried to kill me. It didn't feel like it could be possible. What would anyone gain by killing me?

I rolled over onto my side, groaning as my body ached. Someone was out there planning their next attack on me.

My body began to shake as the reality of the situation grabbed a hold of me. I knew deep down that nothing would happen to me. I had Sebastian to protect me. It was impossible for someone to kill me when he was there to keep me safe.

I thought back to the day I decided to make a contract with him. I'd been helping Sarah pack my things to get ready to move into the orphanage in town. We'd both been crying. Neither of us wanted this. My servants had all claimed to be able to care for me, but I was being forced away anyway. Maia and Thomas were the oldest, and they'd both barely been old enough to live on their own.

When Sarah had left the room for the night, I did it. I summoned a demon, and Sebastian came forth. We struck our deal, and he showed up the next morning claiming to be a butler who was looking for a job. We all welcomed him in, and since he was older, the court let me stay with him. It was the light at the end of that dark time in my life, and I was finally able to smile again. I'd needed him more than I'd known.

But what if I hadn't summoned him? I'd be in an orphanage, yes, but I'm sure the people who were after me would still have been. I'd have endangered so many children...

I was still quivering in fear, and the thought of all of those children that could have been hurt in the process made it a thousand times worse.

"Sebastian," I whispered, my voice shaking. I waited a beat, knowing he would quickly and silently enter. "I'm scared."

I felt him sit behind me on the bed. "Of course you are," he said gently. "You have every right to be."

I rolled over to face him, ignoring my body's protests. He was giving me his soft smile that I loved so much.

"I'm here to protect you," he continued. "No one will hurt you, Chrystal. I'll make sure of it."

I nodded, tears beginning to flow from my eyes. No matter how much I trusted him and believed his words, it didn't cause the fear to release its hold on me.

Sebastian moved. He sat back against the pillows, and I lay against him. He held me, smoothing my hair, and I felt safe in his arms. I gradually stopped trembling, and was finally able to stop thinking about the what ifs and fall asleep.


	8. Chapter 8

I awoke to bright light coming through the window between the cracked open curtains. I sat up, ignoring the screaming pain of my body, and noticed immediately that Sebastian was gone.

My heart sank a little, but my brain knew better. He had jobs to do around here, and I didn't even want to think about what would have happened had one of the other servants caught him holding me.

I shook the thoughts from my head, then threw off the covers and got to my feet. I slowly made my way over to the closet, trying not to make the pain any worse. I carefully tore away my tattered dress, frowning. I'd liked that one.

I turned back to my closet, grabbed a plain white dress that hung loosely, and somehow managed to put it on only using my right hand. My left still ached to move, so I tried not to do so. 

I jumped when I heard a light knock on the door. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. I took the few steps over to the door and opened it.

Standing outside was a relieved yet concerned Sarah. I gave her a small smile.

"I was going to help you change," she said as she entered the room.

"I just wanted to try. It was harder than I thought to change clothes with one hand."

"I'm sure it was. Here," she put her first aid kit on the bedside table and turned to me. "I should really change your bandages now."

I nodded, and watched her expressions change as she changed the bandages around my waist and the one on my cheek. Once she finished, she looked at me and smiled.

"All done. Everything seems to have stopped bleeding, so you should be fine in a day or two."

I returned her smile. "That's a relief. I hate lying around and not being able to do anything."

"I know you do, which is why I am not going to stop you from doing whatever you like today. You're not so injured that you can't walk, I just wanted your wounds to close before you started moving around again. You could've prevented them from healing."

I nodded, only half listening to what she said. Something was bothering me, but I couldn't figure out what. Maybe I was just paranoid because of the events of the day before.

Her concerned look returned. "Is something wrong?"

I shook my head quickly. "No, sorry. I'm just nervous."

Sarah nodded. "We all are. Jasmine refuses to go back outside."

My mind snapped back to reality at the sound of Jasmine's name. "Jasmine! Thomas! How are they?"

Sarah grabbed my shoulders. "They're fine. Both are back to their normal selves."

I sighed in relief. "I was so worried..."

Sarah gave me a soft smile. "There was no need to be. We told you last night that there was no lasting damage."

"But they're my friends. I worry about all of you."

Her smile brightened. She picked up her first aid kit, then walked toward the door. "What would you like to do today?"

I glanced over at the clock on the wall. It was nearly eleven in the morning. _I really need to stop sleeping so late._

I faced Sarah again. "Tell Maia I'll be down for lunch soon, and tell Jasmine that she doesn't have to worry about the garden until everything is over. I don't want to force her to be somewhere she isn't comfortable. She can help you around the house instead."

Sarah nodded. "I'll see to it." Then she left the room, closing the door behind her.

After she left, I turned to my vanity and picked up my hairbrush. I did my best to brush my hair with one hand, then set the brush back down and eyes myself in the mirror. It didn't look the best, but at least I wasn't going to be walking around looking like Medusa.

I then looked down at my collection of hair ties, trying to decide if I could put my hair up one handed. I then glanced down at my injured hand and moved my fingers. The pain was far from dull, but it was bearable. I picked a glittery silver hair tie from the pile and used both hands to tie back my hair. I again looked over my appearance in the mirror. That was much better.

It had only been a few minutes, so there was no way Maia had lunch ready, but I decided to make my way downstairs anyway. I wanted to see Jasmine and Thomas. I knew Sarah said they were fine, but I wanted to see them for myself, and to thank Thomas personally for what he did for me.

I opened my bedroom door and stepped out into the hall. I could faintly smell something coming from the kitchen, but I couldn't place the scent.

I made my way down the hall and then down the stairs. The smell from the kitchen was drawing me to the dining room, but I stopped myself. I had to find one of them, at least.

As luck would have it, Jasmine and Sarah came out of a nearby room and entered the entrance hall of the house. I felt my face light up with a bright smile as I saw Jasmine walking around the place. I ran down the rest of the stairs and grabbed her in a tight hug. She let out a squeal of surprise, then a moment later hugged me back.

"I'm so glad you didn't get hurt," I told her, holding back tears that threatened my eyes. "I was so worried."

"I was more worried about you, I'm sure," she said, and I could hear the smile on her lips. "When I woke up, everyone told me what happened; how you had gotten hurt, and these people were only targeting you. I don't want to lose my best friend. I'm so happy that you're alright."

I pulled away from her, smiling and blinking back tears. "Don't worry. It's going to take a lot more than that for them to kill me."

Her tears overflowed then, and she latched onto me in another hug. I held her while she cried out her tears. "I'm not going anywhere, Jasmine. I promise you that."

She nodded, then pulled away and wiped her eyes. "I'm sorry, I should get back to work."

I nodded. "Alright, but I want all of us to eat dinner together tonight. We haven't done so in ages."

Her smile came back, and she nodded. I felt Sarah place a hand on my shoulder, then they both left the room to get back to their duties.

I turned back toward the dining room, massaging my left hand. It hurt after hugging Jasmine, but I didn't regret it. I'd been so worried. I loved her. I loved all of them. They were my family, and I was never going to let anyone hurt any of them ever again. 


	9. Chapter 9

I glanced up from massaging my injured hand on my way to the dining room and saw Sebastian and Thomas entering the entrance hall from a far door. Rolling my eyes at myself for what I was about to do, I ran up behind them and latched onto Thomas, earning a gasp of surprise.

They both turned to face me as I released my hold on Thomas, my left hand absentmindedly returning to my right, where I massaged it in attempt to lessen the pain. They smiled, and I returned it.

"Thomas, I just wanted to thank you for yesterday. If you hadn't helped to stop that man, I don't know what would have happened to me. So thank you very much for risking your life for me."

Smiling, Thomas reached out and messed up my hair lovingly. My smile grew as he waved off my thanks, then he turned to leave.

"Wait!" I called, reaching out to him. He turned to face me again. "I wanted to have dinner with everyone tonight. If you aren't busy, I'd appreciate it if you would be there."

Thomas smiled and nodded, then turned and left the room.

Sebastian approached me and gently took my left hand and examined it closely. It was a little swollen and slightly discolored from bruising, but other than that it appeared fine to me. He seemed to think so too, because he released it a moment later. Then he took in my appearance and smiled.

"What is it?" I asked, my hands immediately going to my hair. "It doesn't look too bad, right? It's hard to brush it with one hand, and Thomas sure didn't help."

He then moved behind me and took my hair from its ponytail and started to fix it. "I haven't seen you wear white since you were in the hospital a year ago. The color suits you."

"Really?" I asked, looking down at the plain white dress. "Are you sure it isn't too much? It matches my hair almost perfectly."

He tied my hair back again, then stepped to my side as I glanced in a mirror in the entrance hall. "Not at all," he said. "I'd say the dress compliments your hair quite nicely."

I glanced over and smiled at him. As much as I hoped the compliments were genuine, a small part of my brain was telling me that he could sense how uneasy I felt, and he was trying to make me forget about it for a few minutes. I guess either way, it showed that he cared. That was more than enough.

I turned and hugged him, and he kissed my forehead. I pulled away a moment later. "Thank you for fixing my hair. And if you don't want to come to dinner, you don't have to. I honestly think I'd feel safer if you were guarding the door or something. And since you don't eat..." I sighed, trying to think of words that didn't sound rude or inconsiderate. "I'm just still so scared something may happen again..."

"Understood," he said simply, bowing slightly. He had his signature smile dancing on his lips, and I smiled right back. He knew what I was trying to say, and he would do what he could.

I thanked him again, then excused myself and finally entered the dining room.

The smell was finally distinguishable once I was through the doors, and my stomach growled loudly. It smelled like my favorite foods: pork chops and potatoes. My smile grew. Maia always knew how to cheer me up. All you had to do was feed me.

I sat down at my place at the head of the dining table just as the kitchen door opened to reveal Maia holding a plate and a glass of milk. She set both before me and told me to dig in. I planned on doing just that.

I ate in silence, minus Maia humming in the kitchen as she cleaned up. The sound of it made me smile; she only hummed like that when she was happy. I was glad she could find the strength to be during everything going on.

But even then, her life wasn't on the line; the people from last night made that very clear. Whatever their orders were, my family was to be left out of it. They proved that when they didn't kill Thomas, or when they ignored Maia as she ran to call for help.

I finished my plate and sighed, thinking. If the people who attacked us were working for the same man that kidnapped everyone a year ago, everything made sense. That man hadn't wanted my friends. He'd had no interest in hurting them. He made sure they were cared for. They had just been bait then.

The same thing was happening now. I was the only target, and that thought alone made me both relieved and terrified. The people I cared about the most in this world would be just fine, but that also meant the men would come straight to me.

I shook my head, trying to clear it. I would be fine. I _knew_ that. Everyone would do everything in their power to make sure no harm came my way. And even if it did, I wasn't just some powerless little girl. I was a grown woman who knew how to defend herself. I would be just fine.

I sighed and held my head in my good hand. No matter how many times I tried to convince myself that I would be alright, my mind always rejected the thoughts. _You're not safe,_ it said. _You'll never be safe._

I felt a hand on my shoulder, and I moved my hand and looked up to see Maia staring down at me with a sad smile on her face. I wanted to smile back to reassure her that I was fine, but found that I couldn't. I simply stared back down at my empty plate.

I watched as the empty plate vanished and was replaced by a full one. On the plate was a large slice of chocolate cake. My milk glass was refilled, and then I was given an awkward side hug before Maia walked back into the kitchen, where I barely noticed she did not resume humming.

I stared at the cake for at least a good minute before finally picking up a fork and beginning to eat. Maia was pulling out all the stops to try to help me feel better. The least I could do was try. 


	10. Chapter 10

I ate as much of the cake as I could before I felt that I would burst, then quickly stood and left the dining room. I needed something to do to distract myself from my thoughts before I went insane.

I made it halfway up the stairs before a noise stopped me in my tracks: a light knock on the door. 

I felt myself sit on the steps and hid behind the banister, my heart pounding. Who could be at the door? Who got past the police? They weren't supposed to let anyone near my house. What was going on?

A moment later I felt a comforting hand on my head, and looked up to see Sebastian walking passed to answer it.

My heart began beating more rapidly as Sebastian approached the door. Time seemed to slow as he reached for the knob, turned it, and pulled the large door open.

I couldn't hear their conversation, nor could I see who was outside the door. They talked for what felt like forever, but couldn't have been more than a moment or two, before Sebastian stepped away from the door and allowed in the unannounced guest.

He glanced up to where I was hiding and smiled. I felt myself sigh in relief. Sebastian seemed to believe the person entering the house was no threat, but something in the back of my mind refused to believe it until I saw for myself.

Finally, a dark haired woman wearing a dark blue dress a size too small and carrying a tattered black purse stepped through the threshold of the house, and my distrust faded. I knew this woman. She lived down the street.

I stood from my hiding spot as Sebastian closed the door and the woman, Jennifer, if I remembered right, looked up to see me and had the same amount of relief in her eyes as I had in mine.

"Welcome," I called out as I descended the stairs. "Jennifer, right? What brings you here?"

The woman smiled and nodded. "We all heard the commotion last night. Some have even been eyeing the police cars. We simply wanted to know if you were alright."

I smiled warmly at her, my hand immediately going to the bandage on my cheek. "Nothing we couldn't handle, but thank you for your concern, all of you."

Jennifer smiled again, but I caught her glancing nervously at Sebastian.

"Is everything alright?" I asked her, suddenly concerned.

"Actually, I had another reason for coming here, but is there any way we can talk privately?"

I glanced between her and Sebastian, then immediately smiled at her and nodded. Her face lit up once again, and I took her hand and led her into a sitting room. I told her to have a seat on one of the velvet couches, then closed the door and turned to face her.

"What can I do for you?" I asked.

She glanced around nervously. "I hate to do this, but my daughter, Lily, is sick with something, and I can't afford to take her to the doctor like she needs. I'm so worried."

I gave her a soft, kind smile. "So you need some money?"

She reluctantly nodded her head.

"You know I don't mind helping out. I'll just go grab some and bring it back to you. Wait here, please."

She nodded, and I turned and opened the door and left the room. I grabbed about 500 dollars from the safe hidden deep in my closet, and went back to her.

When I re-entered the room, Jennifer was sitting patiently, looking longingly at a framed picture on the wall of my parents.

"Did you know them?" I asked softly, trying not to break the peacefulness of the room.

Jennifer glanced back to me and nodded. "I went to school with your mother. We were good friends."

I nodded. "What was she like?" I asked carefully.

Jennifer smiled. "Back in high school? Just like you. Compassionate, generous... although maybe a little more outspoken."

I giggled slightly at that. I remembered Mom talking about how she had been in every club possible when she was in school, and was president of most of them. It was always followed quickly by an apology about how I was homeschooled, so there were no clubs for me. I'd always waved it off because I didn't want her to worry about me. Then I'd ask her more about her childhood, but she never said anything more.

I shook my head to clear it and gave Jennifer the money I held in my hand. She stood and accepted it, thanking me repeatedly. I smiled and waved it off, telling her I was more than happy to help her and anyone else in need.

She placed the money in her purse, and I turned to get the door for her.

The following seconds were a blur, and the next thing I knew, Sebastian was standing between me and Jennifer.

"Sebastian, what are you-" my question was interrupted when he stepped slightly to the side, and I could see Jennifer, a small dagger in her hands and tears in her eyes, accompanied by so much self loathing that my own began to water. A moment later, she collapsed to the ground, dropping her dagger and crying into her hands.

Cautiously, I stepped around Sebastian and approached Jennifer. Kneeling beside her, I slid the dagger across the floor toward Sebastian for him to dispose of. He picked it up, staring at me curiously and warily.

I ignored his gaze and reached out to Jennifer, bringing her sobbing form into a tight and comforting embrace.

I looked back over at Sebastian. _Leave,_ I silently ordered.

His eyes turned to severe concern and slight fear.

_She won't open up with you in the room. Leave, but stay right outside if you feel you must._

Sebastian sighed and bowed slightly, then turned and left the room.

I held her for a moment longer before pulling away. "Jennifer," I calmly spoke, "you obviously didn't want to do that."

She shook her head violently. "No! I'd never wish to hurt you! I'd never wish any harm upon you!"

"So what happened?" I asked, trying to stay calm.

She took deep breaths, trying to calm her sobs so she could explain, but every time she was nearly calmed, her tears began flowing again. Eventually, she gave up and spoke through the tears, glaring at the door.

" _He_ told me to do it."

I followed her gaze to the closed door. "'He'? Who is 'he'?"

"You're butler," she snarled. 


	11. Chapter 11

Her words put me into a stunned silence. Sebastian put her up to this? There was no way. There had to be some kind of mistake.

"Jennifer-"

"I don't believe it either," she admitted defeatedly, "and I have no way of knowing for sure." She reached into her purse and pulled out a folded piece of paper. "Look for yourself."

I took the paper from her and skimmed over it. It was a typed letter addressed to Jennifer, telling her to kill me or there would be consequences. Sure enough, it was signed "Sebastian of the Foster residence".

"That's only the first letter. After nothing happened to you, I got another one, saying they would kill Lily if I didn't go through with it. I... I couldn't..." her sobs grew louder, and I held her again.

"I don't know who sent these letters, but I can promise you it wasn't Sebastian. He would never do anything like this."

The sobbing woman nodded. "I know that, but it's what the letter says."

"Anyone could have written this and put his name at the end of it."

Jennifer sighed shakily. "But Lily..."

I nodded. "Sebastian."

Jennifer looked up to me, but I watched the door as it opened a moment later and my demon butler entered the room. I handed him the letter to let him read over it. "Call James. I want to talk to him about this and make sure someone guards Jennifer and Lily."

Jennifer looked back to me. "Chrystal, I can't-"

"I will pay any expenses that come out of this. I don't want either of you to get hurt." Then another thought occurred to me. "Where is Lily now?"

Jennifer turned white as a sheet. "She's at home in bed. She had a very high fever when I left, and I told her I'd be right back."

I glanced back over to Sebastian. "Tell Sarah to call James. You go get Lily and bring her here."

Jennifer tried to object, but Sebastian had already bowed and left.

"Jennifer, please. The police are already guarding this place. You'll both be safer here while we arrange for someone to take care of you both."

All she could do was nod.

I quickly got to my feet and helped her stand, then led her to the dining room, where I asked Maia to make her something to eat. Jennifer tried to refuse, but Maia and I both insisted. There was no telling how long she had been without a nice warm meal.

A few minutes later, while Jennifer and I were sitting at the table waiting for her food, Sarah came in and approached us.

"I've called James and he said he'd be here as soon as he could. He was in the middle of something, and wasn't sure how much longer it would take, but he promised he'd be here."

"Thanks, Sarah." I looked to Jennifer and saw the relief in her eyes. I turned back to my maid. "Could you also call a doctor for Lily? Sebastian is bringing her here, and I don't want either of them leaving until they are being protected."

Sarah smiled. "Of course, Chrystal." And with that, she walked away.

I stood from my place at the table and looked to Jennifer, giving her a smile. "It sounds like you may be here with us for a while. I should go tell Maia to add a couple extra plates for dinner tonight."

"Oh, no, Chrystal. I don't-"

"Too late, I've already made up my mind. We're all planning on having dinner together tonight, and we'd be very happy to have you and Lily join us."

Jennifer began playing with the ends of her long dark hair. "If you insist, we'd be happy to join you."

My smile brightened. "Perfect. Now, if you'll excuse me."

Jennifer nodded as I walked away and into the kitchen to tell Maia about the company for dinner. As I left the kitchen, I noticed Jennifer had found a book of crossword puzzles and had begun trying to solve one. I smiled and didn't disturb her as I made my way through the dining room and into the main hall.

Once successfully through the door and it had swung shut behind me, I leaned against the wall and slid to the ground with a large sigh. There was so much going through my mind, I didn't know where to start even attempting to organize my thoughts.

Just as I was about to start processing, the front door swung open, revealing Sebastian. In his arms was a small girl, no older than eight, wearing a tank top and shorts. I could tell she was flushed even from across the room. She was sicker than I had expected.

"Take her to an available room upstairs, please, then have Sarah take Jennifer to her. A doctor should be on their way to examine her." I held my head in my hand. "I need to go somewhere and think."

Sebastian nodded, then turned and left to do as he was told.

Not wanting to go all the way upstairs and be away from everyone, I went back into the sitting room from earlier. I let myself plop down onto the couch and lay down with a dramatic sigh. What was going on?

I finally forced myself to, at the very least, attempt to process the situation. Jennifer, a close friend of my mother's, had tried to attack me, but either Sebastian intervened in time or she couldn't bring herself to do it. She had been receiving letters from someone posing as Sebastian to kill me. I hadn't seen a date on the letter, but she had said it had been the first.

What I couldn't wrap my head around was the timing of everything. Clearly, whoever had put her up to this had been planning it for a while. Had they gotten tired of waiting for Jennifer to act and made their own move last night?

If that was the case, then did that prove that both Jennifer and Lily were fine? Surely if they had meant their threat, Lily would have been dead by now. Or maybe they let her be because they assumed she'd die of her illness.

I held my aching head in my hands. All these thoughts rushing through my mind were painful to think about all at once. I needed to relax, but found that I couldn't. In fact, I could only do the opposite.

I got the sudden feeling that I was being watched. I quickly stood and looked up to the window, and the action was immediately followed by a scream.

In the window was a silhouette with familiar piercing red eyes.

But as quickly as he had appeared, he was gone.


	12. Chapter 12

Not a moment after the demonic silhouette had vanished, Sebastian burst into the room. He glanced to me, then followed my gaze to the empty window, and then back to me again.

I didn't see or hear him approach, but a heartbeat later, his arms were around me. It was only then I noticed my body was trembling violently. I latched onto him, terrified of the man who had been peeking in on me through the window.

He didn't ask questions until after he had lifted me up and sat me on the couch. He sat beside me, his arms still wrapped around me protectively, and my grip on him never loosening, so tight it hurt my injured hand.

"What happened?" he finally asked. "What did you see?"

I wanted to answer him. I _needed_ to answer him. When I tried to speak, however, no sound came out. I shook my head and buried it in his chest.

He placed a hand on my head, stroking my hair comfortingly, trying to calm my trembling figure. 

This only made me cling to his suit tighter. _Why had he been there? Who was he?_ Those eyes had looked so familiar. Bright red, slightly amused, mostly enraged.

Then everything clicked, and I gasped while attempting to hold back my tears of terror. Sebastian held me tighter.

 _It was a demon,_ I tried to tell him, but the words wouldn't leave my lips. Instead, I thought them, urging them toward him, hoping that he could hear me because of the contract.

Sebastian pulled back slightly, and I glanced up at him. His eyes were tinged with red, as if he was trying to suppress his anger, but his face held nothing else other than concern. He'd heard me.

I looked away. I didn't like seeing his eyes turn red. As much as I loved him, and as safe as I was with him, the thought of demons and the fact that he was one still scared me. I didn't like to see the proof in his eyes.

Finally, I found my voice. "He didn't seem like he wanted to hurt me. At least, not at the moment." I thought for a moment, trying to think. "He just stood there, and as soon as I saw him, he was gone."

Sebastian was silent, probably processing everything and trying to think of a reason that the demon had been here.

I suddenly gasped again, a thought hitting me hard as a brick. I glanced back up to Sebastian, and was thankful to see the red had dimmed from his eyes.

"Do you think he was the one who sent Jennifer?" I asked, new fears coming to mind. Jennifer and Lily, unknowingly, were part of a demon's plan. Would police be enough to protect them? "Maybe he was here because he was trying to see if she had done her job or not." I shuddered, looking away from Sebastian and unconsciously leaning further into his protective hold, seeing the stranger's silhouette and familiar bright eyes in my memory. "He looked so angry when he saw me..."

"Perhaps he is working for one of the men who want you eliminated," Sebastian suggested. I flinched at the last word he said, and he wrapped himself around me once again.

"Did you see what he looked like?" he asked softly, his voice soothing in my ear. At the sound of it, I felt myself stop trembling and my grip relax. My throbbing hand rejoiced as the pressure was removed. I lay still in my butler's comforting and safe embrace, trying to remember. Eventually, I sighed.

"No. The only thing I saw was a dark silhouette and his bright red eyes."

"I see," he said calmly, probably as to not scare me again. "Well, I can assure you, he is no longer here, and it seems he meant you no harm. By his own hands, at least."

I took a shuddering breath and nodded. He was right. The man had left. He wasn't going to hurt me right now.

"He probably went back to report that I was still alive to whoever he is working for."

"I'd say so, which means for the time being, you are perfectly safe."

I nodded again, feeling myself relax completely as my body believed his words. I was fine for now. There was nothing to stay tense over.

Sebastian moved beside me, and I sat up slightly, nearly whimpering at the loss of his protective hold. He stood, then lifted me up into his arms once again, where I happily lay my head on his shoulder.

"You need to relax for a while. You've had a stressful afternoon."

I could only nod in compliance as he carried me out of the sitting room and up the stairs to my bedroom, where he gently lay me on the bed and covered me up to my shoulders with my comforter. He leaned down and kissed my forehead, and when he stood back up, I reached out and grasped his hand in mine.

He looked at me. "What's the matter?" he asked softly.

I stared up at him, trying to find the words. I knew I was safe for now. That demon probably didn't have orders to kill me himself, or else he would have done so. But the fear came crawling back as soon as Sebastian had released me. What if something did happen? I would be completely defenseless while asleep.

But my brain wouldn't let me explain these thoughts to Sebastian. All that left my lips was, "Stay here, at least until I fall asleep."

Sebastian's concern faded and was replaced with a gentle smile.   
"As you wish, My Love," he said softly, then sat on the edge of the bed, never releasing my hand.

I smiled, feeling the fear fade away as I snuggled the blanket around me. Whether it was just his presence that put me at ease, or he had some sort of power that he could use to relax me, I wasn't sure, but either way, I felt safe enough to close my eyes.

"Make sure to wake me when either dinner is ready or James gets here," I told Sebastian, stifling a yawn. "And tell the doctor to leave the check with us, and I'll pay it soon."

He nodded, drawing soothing circles on my swollen hand with his thumb. "Rest now, Chrystal."

I tried to nod, but before I could, I had fallen into a peaceful, dreamless slumber. 


	13. Chapter 13

"Chrystal," a soft voice spoke gently.

I made a noise that I couldn't even describe to let whoever was speaking know I was awake.

"Chrystal, Maia said dinner will be ready soon. You should really be getting woken up."

I groaned at the female voice that was stirring me from my slumber. I sat up and rubbed my eyes, then glanced over to see who had been speaking.

Jasmine was smiling at me. I rolled my eyes and threw my feet over the edge of the bed.

"How's Lily?" I asked through a yawn.

Jasmine's smile faltered. "I honestly don't know. I believe the doctor is still with her."

I glanced over at the clock, and saw that it was nearly six. For a moment, I was scared for Lily. If the doctor had been in there with her for so long, it had to have been something serious.

But as my brain began to remember everything that happened prior to my nap, I realized that I had no idea what time Sebastian had forced me to rest. I simply nodded to Jasmine. "Thank you for waking me. Please make sure someone shows Jennifer to the dining room, and I will meet you all there shortly."

Jasmine smiled and nodded, then turned and left the room.

As the door creaked closed behind her, I stood and stretched. I'd needed that nap more than I'd realized. A small part of my brain felt bad about the fact that I'd been sleeping so much, but I knew how much stress I was under. Not knowing when you could get attacked again was terrifying, and it was slowly but surely wearing me down. We had to find out who was behind all of this and stop them. I wasn't sure how much more of it I could take.

I quickly shook off the feeling of dread that was setting in and went over to my closet. I wanted to change out of my now wrinkled dress into something a bit nicer for dinner. My eyes skimmed the clothes hanging inside, and one in particular caught my eye. It was one I never really thought I'd wear. _Why not?_

I pulled it out of the closet and quickly changed. When I looked into my vanity mirror, I couldn't help but smile. The dress was a pale pink color with a flowing skirt that went to my knees. I found some white heels and gloves and put them on, then looked at my reflection again. _Perfect,_ I thought with a small smile. _Well, almost perfect._

I reached up and pulled the hair tie free from my ponytail. My white locks fell loosely onto my shoulders in waves, and framed my face. I ran a brush through it until it was soft and untangled, then smiled approvingly at my reflection. Now it was perfect.

I quickly made my way down the stairs and into the dining room. I was immediately hit in the face with several different aromas. I couldn't place all of them, but I knew of a couple that made my heart sing; grilled chicken and corn. Yum.

A moment later, Thomas was standing beside me, smiling and offering his arm. I smiled back and accepted it, and he led me to my seat at the head of the dining table. As I sat in my chair, I finally took in the appearance of the table itself.

A white tablecloth had been placed over the wooden table, a fruit bowl in the center, and violets and white roses from the garden had been trimmed and placed in vases as centerpieces. Sarah and Jasmine were setting out plates and silverware, and Jennifer was seated to my left.

"How is Lily?" I asked her, wanting to break the silence and clear the nervousness from her face.

She sighed. "The doctor said he thinks it's the flu, but he'll have to take samples back to a lab to test them before diagnosing her."

"That shouldn't take too long. He can call us once he knows, and I can have Thomas go pick up the medicine."

Jennifer forced a smile. "That's very kind of you, Chrystal. Thank you."

I was about to tell her that it was no problem at all when I was interrupted before I could even open my mouth.

"Thomas! Come help me bring everything out!" Maia called demandingly from the kitchen.

I giggled as Thomas sighed and walked into the kitchen.

A moment later, they both came back into the dining hall with food carts. There was grilled chicken, corn, mashed potatoes, rolls, and so much more.

I thanked Maia as she dished out the food and then took her own seat beside Jennifer. Jasmine sat beside me on the right, Sarah beside her, and Thomas at the other end.

"I assume Sebastian isn't going to join us?" Sarah asked.

I shook my head, quickly trying to come up with a lie to tell them about why he wasn't going to eat with us. The best I could do was, "You know how he is."

Sarah sighed, and I was slightly shocked that it had been enough to get her to leave the question alone. She simply said, "He's as much a member of this family as the rest of us now. He's the reason you were able to stay here. The least he could do is join us for dinner."

I didn't say anything, and neither did anyone else. We all thanked Maia for cooking the food, then dug in.

We ate and talked about anything we could think of, all doing our best to avoid all of the problems at hand. Jennifer at one point asked Maia to make something for Lily once she was well enough to eat again, and Maia had happily agreed. Jasmine and I talked about flowers and how we could work on updating the look of the garden outside ("A fountain would be lovely," she had said, sighing in adoration as she imagined it. I'd laughed and agreed.) Thomas chatted with Sarah about adult things that I, luckily, hadn't had to deal with just yet. We were all having a great time enjoying each other's company.

Once we all finished, I tried to help clear the table, but Maia wouldn't allow it. I sighed and smiled. Some people never change.

I had Thomas escort Jennifer back up to Lily, and as they left, Sebastian entered the room. I looked up and smiled at him, and he took in my appearance and smiled back.

"James has arrived," he said.

I nodded. "We just finished here. Can you lead me to him, please?"

Sebastian smiled. "Right this way."


	14. Chapter 14

Once we were out of the dining room and in the uninhabited entrance hall, Sebastian stopped and turned to face me. I cocked my head at him in confusion.

"Pink," he said, looking at my dress again. "An interesting choice."

My heart sank a little. "Do you not like it?"

He smiled softly. "I didn't say that. I've just never seen you wear the color before."

I glanced down at the dress I was wearing, thinking back to when I had gotten it. "I got it one day on a shopping trip with Sarah and Jasmine. I hadn't wanted it, but they convinced me, saying I looked really good in it. I thought I'd wear it tonight for dinner to surprise them, and maybe lighten the mood a little."

"Well," he said, stepping closer to me, "you do look beautiful in it."

My heart raised back up in my chest and fluttered wildly while my face began to burn fiercely. Sebastian chuckled.

"He's right in here." He turned and walked over to a door and stood beside it, waiting patiently for me to move.

I cleared my throat and took a deep breath, then walked over to Sebastian and the sitting room that held James.

Sebastian handed me a folded piece of paper. "The letter."

I nodded. _Right. I might need that._

A moment later, Sebastian opened the door. James stood when he saw us, and I looked back at Sebastian. I trusted James, but I didn't want to have to explain the situation alone.

He nodded, then led the way into the room.

"Chrystal," James greeted as I followed Sebastian inside. "It's lovely to see you again. Although, I hadn't expected it to be so soon."

"Neither had I," I responded politely, motioning for him to sit back down. He did so, and I sat across from him on the opposite couch.

"What seems to be the problem? Sarah barely said anything, other than that the matter was quite urgent. I would have been here sooner, but another case came up."

I waved off his apology. "Don't worry about that. We were able to take care of things for the time being. We just can't keep these people here forever. They'll want to return home."

James cocked his head in confusion. "People? You've had to take in someone?"

I nodded, then handed Sebastian the letter as I began to explain. "A woman from the neighborhood stopped by this morning. Her name is Jennifer, and I've known her for a while. She wanted some money to pay to take her daughter to the doctor. I gave her what she needed, then turned around to walk her out." By now Sebastian had walked the letter over to James, and he was examining it while he listened. "The next thing I knew, Sebastian had stopped her from stabbing me with a dagger, and she'd collapsed to the floor in tears." I then began to explain the contents of the letter and everything Jennifer had said about there being another to come after it.

"This is definitely something we should look into. Thank you for telling me." James said.

I nodded, but then couldn't keep my questions at bay anymore. I needed to know if he thought the same thing I did. "James, the person who sent those letters... Do you think the attack on me was because she hadn't acted the way they told her? It's the same people, right?"

James looked at me with sad eyes. "We can't rule anything out. As scary as it sounds, what you just said would have to be the best case scenario. Worst case, well..."

I swallowed a lump in my throat. "...there are multiple people that want me dead."

James reluctantly nodded.

I felt the familiar sensation of fear crawl its way through me, but I did my best to ignore it as I tried to turn the topic of the conversation back to Jennifer and Lily. "I don't want either of them to be hurt. I wanted to ask if it was possible to do something for them like you are all doing for me. I want Jennifer and her daughter looked after. I'll pay any bills that may accumulate from it."

James forced a smile. "Sadly, we can't risk any more officers at the time being to station people around her house. However," he added, noticing my frown, "we can take them somewhere safe. I don't think they should be going home until this is solved, anyway."

I felt my face light up with a bright smile. "Thank you, James. I'd let them stay here, but I don't want to put them at risk with everything going on."

"I understand," he said. "Honestly, I wish you'd go with them. You'd be much safer if you were hidden away."

"As right as you are, I can't do that," I told him. "My attackers are going to come back here eventually. I need to be here to draw them in. Then we can finally figure out what's going on."

James sighed when he heard my resolve, but Sebastian had a different look on his face. He seemed genuinely shocked by my lack of fear, especially since everything that had happened earlier. After a moment, though, his shock turned to pride. I smiled to myself. Apparently I was better at hiding my emotions from him than I thought.

James stood. "As I had expected. You are very brave to volunteer yourself as bait, Chrystal. Just don't do anything foolish."

I smiled at him. "I make no promises." I said it jokingly, but I knew myself. And with Sebastian by my side, no one ever knew what was going to happen.

He chuckled slightly. "As for this," James held up the letter he had been given, "I'm going to need to take this back to the station as evidence. As for Jennifer and her daughter, I can take them now, if they're ready. They'll be in good hands."

I nodded, then turned to my butler. "Sebastian, could you bring them down if the doctor is finished?"

Sebastian bowed slightly, then left the room.

I stood and walked James to the door as we waited. A few moments later, Sebastian was coming down the stairs, carrying Lily, Jennifer walking beside them. Another man I didn't recognize was behind them, but based on his white coat and black case, I assumed he was the doctor.

I waved goodbye to James, Lily, and Jennifer as they walked towards James's car, Sebastian still carrying the little girl. I turned to see the doctor still in the doorway, holding a piece of paper.

"The bill," was all he said.

"Yes, thank you. I will have it paid soon," I answered, taking the paper.

The man bowed slightly in farewell, and as he straightened, I noticed the smirk that was dancing on his lips.

I bit my tongue, not wanting this man to know I had seen it. Once the door had closed and the doctor was out of sight, I collapsed to my knees. What had _that_ been about?

I suddenly remembered the bill in my hands, and curiously glanced at it to see how much the visit had cost. On it was a reasonable price, but upon further inspection, there was something else. Something that made me freeze and my skin crawl.

On the paper, scrawled in black marker and messy handwriting, was the words:

_"You've expired."_


	15. Chapter 15

I was still on the floor staring at those two words when Sebastian came back inside. He entered, closed the door, then finally turned to me.

"Chrystal?"

I didn't look up at him. I couldn't force my gaze away from the words. _I've expired. They're going to kill me._

"Chrystal, what are you staring at?"

When I didn't move, he knelt before me and looked at the paper. It only took him a moment to see what was written, and he frowned.

"I see," he said, then gently took the bill from me. Finally, I was able to glance up at him.

His eyes searched mine, and he gave me a gentle smile when he realized what I was thinking.

"You don't believe these words. I can see it. You're not scared."

I nodded, finding my voice. "Shocked may be a better word."

He kept smiling and offered me his hand. I took it, and he helped me to my feet.

"You don't think he did anything to Lily, do you?" I asked, worried.

Sebastian shook his head. "He would be too easy to track. He wouldn't be that foolish. Besides, they don't seem to be after anyone but you."

"I still don't understand why. Why do people want me dead? I tried to be a good person. What did I do wrong?" I held my head in my hands. Nothing made sense anymore, and it took every ounce of willpower I had to keep from bawling.

Sebastian wrapped his arms around me, which only caused me to fight harder against the tears. I'd cried for myself enough. I needed to stop this. It wasn't like me.

But I had only been absolutely terrified a few times in my life. When I saw my parents covered in blood in the car after the crash, when I awoke to an empty house to find out my family had been taken hostage, and... now. My life was on the line. People wanted to kill me. If there was ever a moment to cry from fear, it would be now.

"Chrystal," I heard Sebastian say gently from above me. "What are you thinking about?"

I somehow managed to keep the tears at bay, but my voice portrayed my true feelings as it wavered with every word. "I don't want to cry anymore. I don't want to be scared anymore. The words didn't scare me, but this whole situation terrifies me. I've risked my life for others, and never been this scared before."

"It is because you have no control right now, I believe. It is alright to be afraid."

I nodded. I had zero control over the situation I was in. When we had gone to save the others a year ago, we had made the plans. We'd trained. We'd been ready to fight. Now, there was always a voice in my head telling me that an attack could come out of nowhere. And after the Jennifer incident, it was also telling me that I couldn't trust anyone.

The tears finally built up too much to keep in, and I felt them trickle down my face. I would be strong, but I needed an outlet. If I didn't let my emotions go, I thought I might just explode.

Sebastian held me tighter, and I let go of my head and hugged him back, releasing the tears that were still trying their best to escape. I had to express my fears and concerns to someone. I couldn't let the voice get the better of me.

I pulled away suddenly, remembering we were still in the main hall of the house. Anyone could walk through and hear me venting. I knew it was the voice again, trying to get me to curl up in a corner and hide from everyone, but I couldn't help but listen. Besides, I didn't want everyone else to see Sebastian holding me. I had no idea what they would think.

"I don't want to talk about it here," I said between sobs.

Sebastian nodded, then lifted me up. I wanted to object and tell him I could walk just fine, but I didn't want to leave his arms, so I remained silent until we made it to my room, where he entered and sat me on my bed, my feet dangling over the edge.

I sat there staring at my feet until Sebastian sat beside me and placed an arm around my shoulders. I leaned against him, sniffling.

"What did you want to say?" he asked.

I took a deep breath. "I know it's silly, and I didn't want the other to hear it. But after what happened with Jennifer today... there's this voice in my head telling me I can't trust anyone. 'An attack can come out of nowhere, and it could come from one of the people you care about most.'"

Sebastian's arm around me tightened, and the tears falling down my face multiplied.

"I know none of them would ever hurt me, but the voice doesn't go away, no matter how hard I fight it."

"If that's the case," Sebastian said softly, "perhaps we should ask the police to leave."

I sat up quickly at his words, causing him to pull his arm away.

"What?" I asked, dumbfounded that he would even consider such an idea. The police were there to keep everyone away and to make sure nothing happened again. And as much as I hated it, the voice was screaming in my mind to get away from Sebastian. And when I finally realized I had been gradually backing away from him, it was too late.

Sebastian grabbed me and pulled me into a tight embrace. "Chrystal, I don't suggest it to frighten you. You do not know any of the officers outside. You may subconsciously be thinking of them as new threats. If we ask them to leave, your mind may rest easy."

I could barely hear his words over the voice that was now screaming and turning on warning sirens in my head. I felt myself clamp my hands over my ears and struggle against Sebastian's hold on me. I fought and squirmed so much it hurt where he was holding me tightly, trying to keep my in place.

After several long moments of struggling, the voice in my head grew louder, screaming that I was in danger, but my body stopped fighting against the hold around it. I knew I couldn't escape Sebastian's arms. I simply hugged myself and cried.

Sebastian sighed, and I couldn't tell if it was out of relief, annoyance, or something else. But the next thing I knew, his lips had captured mine. The voice screamed for a moment, urging me to pull away, but as soon as it came, it had vanished, leaving my mind silent.

I sighed in relief that the voice was gone and leaned into Sebastian's touch. He held me gently, kissing me softly. When he pulled away, I was left trying to catch my breath. He smiled.

"What will you have me do, My Love?" he asked softly.

I leaned against him, my eyes watering again. "I trust you," I whispered. "I don't know what's happening to me..."

Sebastian didn't say anything, but his comforting hold on me tightened.

I took a deep breath. "Tell the police to leave."

I could hear his smile as he spoke, "Yes, My Lady."


	16. Chapter 16

Right when the door closed behind Sebastian, the voice came back.

 _You need the police,_ it said. _Those monsters will get you once they realize your shields are gone. You'll be in even more danger than before._

I did my best to ignore the voice. I didn't believe what it said. I trusted in Sebastian. He would protect me no matter what came our way; he was the only shield I needed.

_You're scared of him. You can't even look at him when his true colors brush the surface. How do you expect someone you fear to protect you?_

"Shut up," I told it.

_You know as well as I do that's not going to happen. You are in danger. I'm trying to save you. You need to get away from him; you need to get away from this house. You can trust no one._

Once the words sank in, I felt my mind begin to grow cloudy, and I felt myself nod. I couldn't trust anyone. I had to run.

So I ran.

The voice chuckled in my brain, and I heard it's words, but couldn't comprehend them in my foggy mind.

_Not even me._

***

I have no idea how long I ran for, but when I finally stopped, I barely noticed that I had lost one of my white heels along the way. My mind was still clouded; I couldn't think about anything.

I felt myself step forward into a familiar cave. I walked forward, stopping only when I got to the warm fire that was lit at the end.

Sitting beside it was a man dressed in black, staring into the bright orange flames. He glanced up at me as I approached, and he gave me a bright smile.

Standing, he walked over to me, took my hand gently, and led me over to a wooden stool. I sat down and stared into the flames, unable to think about the situation.

The man knelt before me, continuing to smile at me with a calm, slender face and eyes that looked vaguely familiar. From seemingly nowhere, he produced my missing shoe and slipped it onto my foot, his black hair falling in front of his eyes as he did so. He then glanced up, shook his hair from his face, and smiled again at my blank state. His hand reached out and cupped my cheek, and I felt myself lean into his touch.

"That's a good girl," he remarked in a low voice. His other hand came up and gently peeled the bandage from my face. When he saw what was beneath, his smiled fell into a deep frown.

"Such a nasty cut," he whispered as he leaned in and kissed it. He continued once he pulled away. "I am truly sorry my men hurt you. They were only supposed to bring you to me." He smiled then. "I guess they hadn't expected you to put up a fight. I'll have to punish them accordingly."

"Please do," I heard myself whisper.

The man before me nodded. "They cut your beautiful face. It is necessary that they learn their place in my plan."

I nodded numbly. The man smiled again before leaning forward and kissing my forehead. He then stood and offered me a pale hand. "Shall we go? It isn't safe for you to stay here."

I reached out my hand to accept his, but was stopped by a shout.

"Chrystal!

I dropped my hand and shook my head, the thick fog around my mind quickly clearing. I looked up to the person before me, and saw his eyes glowing in rage as he stared at something near the entrance of the cave.

I scrambled to get away from the demon in front of me, scooting back and falling off the stool. I gave a yelp as I scraped my elbow on the stone ground, then stared up at the demon, petrified.

The demon glanced back down at me, lowering his hand and his rage faltering slightly as a look of concern flashed across his face. "Look what you've done," he accused, directing his attention back to the mouth of the cave, his anger stronger than before. "You've injured her. You have no right to claim her!"

"Chrystal, get away from him."

I looked behind me to see who had come and broken the spell I had been under. My eyes flooded with tears of joy when I saw Sebastian staring back at me.

I stood quickly and ran to him, surprised when the man behind me didn't try to stop me.

I latched onto Sebastian when I reached him, sobbing. "I-I didn't mean... I c-couldn't..."

"Shh. Everything is alright now," he said, smoothing my hair comfortingly.

The man behind me growled, causing me to hold Sebastian even tighter. His hand stopped moving and held my head to his chest protectively.

"What business do you have with her?" Sebastian called to the other demon.

I could hear the anger in his voice as he talked through a smirk. "The prophecy, my friend. It is time that it is fulfilled. I'm going to make her mine."


	17. Chapter 17

My confusion was nothing compared to the fear that flowed through me. I held onto Sebastian tighter, and I felt him do the same to me.

"You're mistaken," Sebastian objected. "It isn't her."

The demon laughed. "You're either delusional or very protective. Either way makes you foolish." I heard his footsteps as he walked toward us, and I felt myself begin to tremble. "If you keep protecting her, you'll never see it for yourself. She still has more trials to overcome. Maybe after that you'll see it."

He then rushed forward and grabbed my left hand. His hold was gentle, like he didn't want to hurt me. I turned my head to see what he was doing, and felt my mind grow foggy again. Not as much as last time, probably because Sebastian was fighting him, but enough to make me not want to pull away.

He lifted my arm and kissed my scraped elbow. I watched, amazed as the wound healed almost immediately after he pulled away. Then, he turned my arm over in his hand and frowned. My eyes followed his, and I saw he was staring at the pentagram on my wrist.

"I see..." he said, gently placing my arm at my side again. "So she may never reach her potential after all. I might just have to wait for the next one."

I looked up at him, the fog fading a little at the demon's lack of focus. "Pro...phecy...?" I forced out.

The demon glared at Sebastian, probably angry that he was fighting the hold on me, then glanced down at me, all traces of anger gone. The cloud returned, stronger than before, and I felt my arms around Sebastian loosen as I turned to face the man behind me.

Sebastian's hold on me grew tighter, preventing me from approaching the demon.

"The prophecy," the man said gently, "is thousands of years old. It tells of a girl who will be born to the humans who does not belong there. It says she will fall in love with a demon, then be turned into one, becoming the strongest demoness to ever exist."

"And that's... me?"

He nodded. "Indeed. However, it seems you may never be able to complete your trials. You're contractor here has been doing them for you, it would seem."

My gaze dropped to the ground and I was unable to ask any more questions.

The man returned his attention to Sebastian. "I'll be watching her. She _is_ the girl from the prophecy, and no matter what, she _will_ be mine!"

I saw his feet vanish from in front of me, and a moment later, the cloud around my mind disappeared. My knees went weak, but Sebastian's tight hold kept me from falling. He lifted me into his arms and held me as I felt the tears of fear come back, and I hugged Sebastian around his neck, crying into his shoulder.

"What was he talking about?" I sobbed. "Why me?"

"I will explain everything to you soon, but for right now, let's just get you home."

I nodded, and let Sebastian take me back to the manor.

***

When we returned home, we were bombarded with questions from the others, all of them asking where I had been and if I was hurt. Sebastian moved past them, telling them that it didn't matter now because I was home and safe. I met eyes with Jasmine once, and she stared at me worriedly as she undoubtedly noticed my tear stained cheeks. I looked away and buried my face in Sebastian's shoulder as he took me up the stairs and into my room.

He lay me on my bed, and I immediately curled up into a ball. "It was him... the voice..." I heard myself whimper.

Sebastian nodded. "I'd say so. He lured you out there by scaring you into leaving."

"What happened? I don't remember leaving. My mind was fuzzy for most of it. I couldn't think or control myself." I curled into myself more.

"Sarah told me you had run off somewhere, and she had tried to follow but lost sight of you in the dark. I ran after you and found you in that cave with him."

"I don't understand... He was so nice to me, aside from clouding my thoughts and controlling me. I guess it has something to do with this 'prophecy'?"

Sebastian hesitated for a long moment before nodding. He then sighed. "Yes, it does. I believe he wants you to fall in love with him so he can rule beside you. And it appears he almost succeeded."

"'Rule'?"

He nodded again. "The full prophecy states: 'One day, in the distant future, there will be a girl born to the humans. A girl who does not belong. She belongs to the demons.

"She will find love with one of our kind, a soulmate. She will realize her potential after going through many trials, and will become the most powerful demoness in all the realms.

"She and her lover will rule, and she will shine bright as a diamond in the moonlight. This will come to pass, unless the girl meets an untimely demise.'"

I uncurled and sat up, staring at Sebastian. "I'm going to become a demon? I was supposed to be a demon?"

"If he is correct about you being the one spoken of, then yes."

I gaped at him. I was human. My friends were human. I didn't want to leave them behind. I didn't want power. Then something else hit me. "He almost succeeded? Do you mean when I almost took his hand?"

Again, Sebastian nodded his head, and I froze. He continued, "If you had agreed to go with him, his hold on you would have become permanent. I would have lost you forever."

I shook my head violently as the fear of what he said sank in, and the thoughts of living eternal life as a demon and also completely under a stranger's control ran through my mind. "No. No no no no no-"

Sebastian wrapped his arms around me a moment later, cutting me off and stopping my head before I could hurt myself. I felt myself trembling.

"Chrystal, calm down. You're alright. You didn't go with him. You came home."

I nodded, feeling myself begin to calm with Sebastian's arms around me. "I have to love the person I rule with, right? Then it couldn't have worked. I don't love him. I could never love him. I love you. If anything, I'll rule with you."

Sebastian held me tighter. "He is very powerful, Chrystal. He could do more than cloud your thoughts. He could alter your emotions, change your memories. He could make you love him."

I knew it. He was more powerful than Sebastian. He had been able to keep my mind foggy while Sebastian had been trying to fight him off.

"But he won't," I said aloud, more to myself than to Sebastian. "I'll be fine. I have you to protect me." I pulled back from Sebastian slightly so I could look into his eyes. "But if he does... If he somehow manages to alter my mind, you'd be the only one able to save me." I pulled back completely, then held out my left arm, showing the black pentagram that painted my pale skin. "If he claims me, then find me before he turns me. I don't want to live with someone forever who I don't love. You will find me and eat me. That's an order."

Sebastian's red eyes brightened for just a moment, then returned to normal. "Chrystal..."

I smiled at him. "I don't want to love anyone but you."

He smiled back, then leaned down and kissed me softly. When he pulled away several long moments later, he took a step back and bowed.

"Yes, My Love."


	18. Chapter 18

I didn't remember going to bed that night, but when I awoke the next morning, I was wrapped up in my blanket and someone had removed my heels.

I rolled over and sat up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. Glancing up at the clock on the wall, I noticed it was almost 9:30 am. _Good, I'm finally waking up at a decent hour._

I quickly stood and changed out of the pink dress I had still been wearing and searched my closet for something. I didn't have any plans for today, so there was no need to dress up. With that thought in mind, I closed the closet and went over to my dresser. I pulled out a pair of dark jeans and a purple shirt and pulled them on. I was brushing my hair when there was a knock on the door.

"Come in!" I called, stepping up to the vanity mirror to assess my appearance.

The door creaked open to reveal Sarah, her first aid kit in her hand. "Good morning, Chrystal."

"Good morning," I answered, most of my attention still on my reflection in the mirror.

"May I check your injuries, please?" she asked, watching me stare at myself.

I wasn't staring at myself, necessarily. I was staring at where the cut had been on my cheek. It was gone, healed, just like the scrape on my elbow.

 _That demon must have healed it when he kissed me..._ He'd been so kind and gentle. Did he really want to alter me? Had he been trying to get me to fall for him on my own?

"Chrystal?" Sarah said again, pulling me from my thoughts.

I glanced to her, blinking a couple of times as my mind returned to the moment at hand. "Sorry. Yes, you may."

She smiled, then entered and closed the door behind her. She placed the first aid kit on my bed and opened it while I lifted my shirt enough for her to have access to the bandages around my waist. When she glanced back at me, she stared curiously at my face.

"Your cheek is healed? But that was the worst cut you had. It should have taken the most time."

I gently touched where the cut had been and shrugged. I couldn't very well tell her that a demon who wanted me to fall in love with him had healed it. She'd think I was insane.

Sarah stared at me skeptically for a moment longer before sighing and removing the bandages around my waist. She examined them for a long moment, then straightened herself and smiled at me.

"They appear to be healing just fine. They don't seem to need to be bandaged again, either."

I returned her smile. "Good. I guess that's one less thing to worry about."

Sarah's smile saddened. "I noticed the police weren't guarding the house anymore."

I glanced away from her as I nodded.

Sarah waited a moment, hoping I would explain. When I stayed silent, she asked, "Is there any reason why?"

I took a deep breath. I could trust her. I knew that. I could tell her the truth. Well, most of it, anyway.

"I was just so on edge with them here. My brain kept telling me that an attack could come out of anywhere." I shuddered at the memory, hoping the voice never returned. "I told Sebastian about it, because he was there when I was trying to get the voice to go away, and he recommended asking them to leave."

"Why would that make you feel better?" Sarah asked, clearly beginning to lose her temper. "Wouldn't that make you feel even less safe?"

"He thought maybe I was subconsciously scared one of them would turn on me. I believed him, because my mind was telling me that an attack could come from _anywhere_." I was trying to stay calm, but I felt my resolve beginning to waver. I finally looked back at her. "Sarah, the police were _everywhere_. I thought maybe one or more of them would turn on us. I know it sounds stupid. I know the police are on our side. But ever since that doctor..."

"The doctor?" she asked suddenly. "What happened with him?"

"He worked for them, the people who want me dead. That or he was merely employed to pass on a message."

"And that was...?"

I didn't want to say the words, but Sebastian hadn't returned the bill to me. I glanced away, unable to meet her gaze as I quoted, "'You've expired.'"

I saw her turn pale out the corner of my eye.

"We don't think he would have done anything to Lily," I told her, hoping it would even slightly put her mind at ease. "Sebastian said he would be too easy to track down and wouldn't risk himself like that."

"Are you planning on reporting him? We need to call James and tell him everything."

"I'm sure he already knows about his coworkers returning to the station. He'll be here to question me soon enough."

Sarah stared at me grimly. "I won't fight you over the decisions you make, but please do make sure you think them through completely. Without the police presence, the people who attacked the other night may return."

I finally glanced back up at her, smiling slightly. "I'm counting on it."

Sarah's gaze turned from grim to shocked. "You mean you _want_ them to return?"

"I need them to come back so we can end this. We'll take them out, and I'll finally be safe."

Her eyes sparkled, and I peered at her curiously. "What's wrong?"

She shook her head. "You've struggled for so long, and been through so much. I don't want to see you with blood on your hands."

I let my gaze fall to the ground. "I'll do whatever it takes to keep myself and everyone else safe. And if that means getting my hands dirty, then so be it."

There was a long, silent moment between us, and then a light knock on the door.

Sarah moved to pack up her first aid kit. She picked it up, then made her way toward the door. She stopped beside me for a moment and whispered, "I'd rather die than see you suffer for the rest of your life knowing you hurt people, and I'm sure the others feel the same. Do not kill someone for us." Then, she continued walking and left the room, leaving me and Sebastian to stare after her.


	19. Chapter 19

Sebastian regained his composure first, catching the door before it could swing shut. "What happened?" he asked.

I glanced up at him. "She doesn't want me to get my hands dirty to protect her and the others... She said they'd all rather die than let me do that..." I felt my eyes begin to water. "I can't let them die..."

Sebastian stepped into the room and closed the door. "Your friends are not targets in this, remember? They should come out of this just fine."

"Yes, but they may become targets if they try to protect me."

Sebastian was silent for a moment, but when he met my tearful gaze, he commented, "You know, you are the head of this house. If you told them to stay out of it, they would have to obey."

I stared at him. "That wouldn't work. As long as they are here, they'll stop at nothing to protect me."

Sebastian's eyes sparkled. "Then get rid of them."

I gasped at his words. I could never get rid of them. They were the only family I had left.

After Sebastian didn't say anything else, and the initial shock of his words dissipated, I finally realized what he was suggesting. "I could send them away. On a vacation or something."

Sebastian smiled and nodded.

"That's perfect. It will get them out of harm's way. It will take a lot to get Sarah and Jasmine to go, though."

"Please leave everything to me. I'll make sure the vacation is to somewhere they couldn't possibly refuse."

I nodded. "Alright. I'm counting on you. Is there any other reason you came here?"

Sebastian smiled. "Maia has breakfast prepared. Will you be coming down?"

I smiled and nodded. "I'll be there in a moment. Thank you."

Sebastian bowed slightly. "Of course, My Lady."

***

After breakfast, I went back to my room to think about everything that had happened, but my mind kept drifting back to the kind and gentle gaze that demon had given me. It had been so warm and loving. I couldn't get it out of my head.

And those eyes... those all too familiar eyes. He had been the one looking in through the window that day. But I'd seen those eyes before that. Where had I seen them? I was wracking my brain when a memory invaded my thoughts.

_"Falling in love with a demon will only lead you down a road of despair. We do not have the ability to love as you humans do. Be careful of the path you choose."_

I gasped at the memory, the glowing red eyes in the darkness, the voice that spoke its warning. It had been him. It had all been that demon.

He hadn't been trying to help me. He hadn't been there to warn me. He'd been trying to scare me away from loving Sebastian so that I could instead fall in love with him.

But why? All for some prophecy that was conjured up thousands of years ago? Who was it that saw this prophecy? What made that demon think the girl mentioned was me?

_I can answer your questions, you know._

I spun around at the voice, trying to locate the source. It took me a moment to realize it was in my head again.

"What?" I asked aloud.

_I have the answers you seek. I'm willing to help you understand._

"No, please, don't do that again!" I backed up until I hit the wall, then slid down and sat on the floor, hugging my knees to my chest.

Then a familiar fog shrouded my thoughts, and I felt my fear vanish. But something was different about this fog. I could still think for myself. It was like it was simply there to embrace me, keep me calm.

_I won't control you this time. You won't get your answers if you are scared of me._

"Alright," I said, testing my voice through the fog. "What is this prophecy? Why does it have to be me? How do you know it's me?"

_The prophecy was foretold by the demon king thousands of years ago, just days before he was found dead. He had no heirs, and the prophecy tells of the next ruler of our world. That ruler is you._

_It has to be you because you fit the description of the prophecy. You've gone through several trials already: the loss of your parents, the kidnapping of your friends, just to name a couple. I know it is you because of this, and who you are._

"Who I am?"

_The prophecy mentions diamonds. A diamond is a type of crystal. Your name is Chrystal. Your appearance is not that of a young human woman, either. Snow white hair, pale complection, auburn eyes. You look just like one of us. I know they may seem like meaningless details to most, but there's never been a human that looked more like a demon than you._

"But why someone who was human? Why not just pick another demon?"

_Unfortunately, no one knows. The demon king had the ability to see into the distant future, so no one dared question him. He never lied about what he saw._

"What happened to him?"

_Yet another mystery, my dear. Many believe he was assassinated, but there is no proof of that or anything else. It was like he simply dropped dead out of nowhere._

I thought long and hard about if I wanted to ask my last question. I did so warily. "Why do you want to rule so badly?"

The demon was quiet for a moment, as if he was contemplating the reason himself. After what felt like ages, he finally spoke.

 _The same reason as everyone else, I suppose. The power of being king._ He paused, and when he continued, his voice was soft and gentle. _Many other people want that power, and are searching for the girl of the prophecy. I know for a fact that it is you, and I want to save you before they find you._

"Save me?"

_None of the others will be nearly as kind with you as I have been. They want power, and they'll do anything they can to get it. They will be much more forceful with you, altering your mind on sight and tricking you into loving them. Then they'll want nothing to do with you, and you'll be killed or locked away to live out the rest of your eternity alone._

His words would have terrified me if not for the comforting cloud around my thoughts. I simply sat in silence, listening.

_I'm not like the others. I would love to rule with a partner, especially the one who is destined to be the most powerful demoness to ever live. I'm giving you time to consider your options. You can stay here with your servant until the swarms of demons attack, or you can come and rule with me, where I guarantee you will be well protected and well loved. Choose wisely._


	20. Chapter 20

As the demon's presence faded from my mind, so too did the calming cloud around my thoughts, and the wave of overwhelming fear from everything he had said came crashing down on me. I rested my head on my knees, feeling my body trembling.

Hoards of demons wanted me as theirs. They wanted to be king, and the only way for them to fulfill that wish was to force me to fall in love with them. That thought alone was enough to make me feel sick.

What was I supposed to do? I couldn't fight demons, and Sebastian wouldn't be able to take on a hoard of them all by himself. I also couldn't let my friends stay and help, because they'd be slaughtered within two minutes. But I couldn't go with that demon. I didn't love him. I refused to. He could be as nice to me as he wanted, but I refused to love anyone but Sebastian.

A light knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts. Although my brain knew it was one of my friends, my body decided to cower in the corner and remain completely silent.

When the visitor did not receive a response, they slowly opened the door. It creaked open quietly as someone poked their head in.

"Chrystal?" Sebastian's voice called quietly.

I heard myself let out a soft whimper.

The door closed again as Sebastian stepped inside and quickly found me hiding in the corner, curled up in a ball, palms pressed against either side of my head.

He crouched beside me and placed a hand on the top of my head, then I quickly moved and wrapped my arms around him. He sat on the ground and pulled me into his lap, holding my trembling figure in his comforting and protective arms.

"He's the same demon as before..." I told him. "The one from the cave..."

Sebastian held me tighter.

I swallowed a lump in my throat. "I lied to you back then. He told me they knew who I was, but he also told me something I never told you about, because I'd been scared to." I started to tremble even more, the fear from back then making itself known to me once again.

Sebastian stroked my hair gently, trying to calm me, but didn't say anything as he waited for me to tell him.

I took a deep, shaky breath. "He had told me not to fall in love with a demon because they weren't capable of loving me back." I sighed, feeling the fear disappear after sharing the memory with him. "He knew I was falling for you even before I did."

Sebastian let out a soft chuckle.

"But he _really_ was just trying to keep me from falling for you so that I could fall for him later... but if I hadn't..." I would have been long dead. I couldn't get myself to say the words aloud, but Sebastian seemed to have understood, because he held me tighter yet again.

"He talked to me again," I told him, staring at the wall. "I was stressing over that prophecy thing, trying to figure out why I had to be the one, and he calmed me and answered my questions." I thought about the calming spell I'd been under, and soon my trembling lessened.

"What did he tell you?" Sebastian asked cautiously.

"He told me about the demon king, how he'd had the power to see into the future, and had apparently seen me. He told me the reasons he was so sure I was the one it spoke of, like my name and my appearance and the trials I have already gone through."

"He seems to have thought about this for quite some time."

I nodded. "He also said there are others looking for me. Many others. He said they would force me into loving them long enough to earn the title of king, then kill me or lock me away for the rest of my life..." My hold on Sebastian tightened in an attempt to feel safe and keep myself from trembling again. "He said he was the only one who would like to rule beside me, and that he'd make sure I was protected and loved." I felt tears well up in my eyes and I buried my face in Sebastian's shoulder. "I don't know what to do... I don't want to go with him, but if I stay here..."

"If you are worried about the others," Sebastian spoke gently, "I have everything taken care of. Their vacation is ready. You just need to tell them about it."

I shook my head, trying to fight back tears. "It's not them. It's the demons he warned me about." My fists grasped his suit tightly. "I don't care if it's your job to protect me. We'll both be slaughtered by that many demons if we try to fight back."

Sebastian said nothing, and I took that as his silent confirmation that he, too, had no idea what we were supposed to do. He placed a hand on the back of my head and held me as I cried into his shoulder. I had to choose between living eternity with someone I didn't love or dying alongside the one I did. Sebastian was to consume my soul if that demon succeeded in taking me by force. There was no positive outcome. No matter what, I would either be dead or wish I was. And there was no one who could help me.


	21. Chapter 21

I didn't know how long we sat like that, Sebastian holding me tight while I sobbed into his shoulder. I ran out of tears at some point, and my eyes were burning, but I couldn't stop myself from crying like a baby. Not even when a hesitant knock rapped on the door.

I didn't move as Sebastian quickly stood and sat me on my bed. He was somehow able to make me release his suit, then he walked over to the door and opened it.

I glanced up to see a startled Jasmine staring up at Sebastian, who was giving her his innocent smile. She then turned to look at me, saw my red face and tear stained cheeks, and rushed over.

"Chrystal? What's wrong? What happened?" she inquired.

I was silent. I couldn't tell her. She couldn't know about what was going on.

To my relief, Sebastian had come up with an excuse. "I noticed she had been up here quite a long time, and came to check on her. When I got here, she was thrashing about in her sleep from a nightmare. I woke her, and she's been like this ever since."

"A nightmare?" Jasmine questioned, looking to me. I avoided her gaze and nodded. "Do you need to talk about it?"

"I-I can't remember it, really," I spoke softly. "Just s-screams... and b-blood..." I held my face in my hands. It may have been a lie, but my brain automatically started to picture the massacre that would be my family if all of those demons found us, and it brought fresh tears to my eyes.

I felt Jasmine's slender arms wrap around me. "Well, whatever it was, it's gone. It was only a nightmare. Nothing to be so worked up about."

I didn't respond.

"You have been up here quite a long time, you know. It's nearly three. Why don't you come downstairs and have a snack? That should help you calm down." She pulled away and smiled brightly at me.

I gave a sad attempt at returning her smile as I nodded. "I'll come down in a few minutes. I don't want to worry the others by letting them see me like this."

Jasmine nodded, then her face lit up as she gasped suddenly. "I know! Thomas and I will run to town and get some of those cupcakes you like! Those always make you feel better!"

I felt my smile brighten. Jasmine was the best friend I could have ever asked for.

Seeing my smile, she beamed back at me. "Okay, it's settled. We'll be back in about twenty minutes."

I nodded, and she hugged me one last time before leaving the room.

Once the door had closed, Sebastian came over and held me again. I lay my head on his chest and closed my eyes. My brain played the images of my family's massacre again, and I cringed at the sight.

"When do they leave?" I asked, unable to keep my voice from quivering.

"Tomorrow afternoon," Sebastian answered softly.

 _Good,_ I thought with relief. The sooner my family left, the sooner these images would hopefully leave my mind. I couldn't take much more of them.

I pulled away from Sebastian and gave him the best smile I could muster. "Go ahead and tell everyone to meet in the kitchen for cupcakes. I'll come down once Jasmine and Thomas get back and tell them about the trip."

Sebastian nodded and stepped back, then produced a small stack of papers. "This contains their travel tickets and information on where they will be going. I suggest looking it over in the meantime."

I nodded. They'll think I was the one to come up with the idea and plan it. I needed to at least know where I was sending them. "Thank you, Sebastian."

"Of course, My Love," he bowed, then gave me one last concerned glance before leaving the room, closing the door behind him.

***

"A month in Hawaii?!?!" Maia screamed over her chocolate cupcake as she looked at the paper in her hand.

I had handed out their tickets and a rough itinerary. What they wanted to do was up to them, but Sebastian had been kind enough to give many suggestions.

Sarah stood, her strawberry cupcake forgotten beside her. "Chrystal, you can't be serious. We can't leave you here by yourself with everything going on."

"I won't be alone," I told her. "Sebastian has volunteered to stay here with me." I paused for a moment, staring down at my own chocolate chip cupcake. "You all never get to get away and have fun, and I'm worried you all are stressing over this whole situation more than I am. You need to go relax."

Jasmine, who had already devoured her cupcake, stood. "I doubt any of us are more stressed out than you. You've barely left your room. We're all so worried."

"Which is exactly why I want you all to take this opportunity. You all need to stop worrying about me. I understand that you care about me, but you need to also take care of yourselves. I don't want to see you wither away under the stress."

They were all silent. Thomas was staring at all of us, speechless. Sebastian was behind me, probably smiling sweetly like he always did around the others.

"Please," I begged. They had to agree to leave. If they didn't, they would be annihilated just like me and Sebastian. I couldn't let that happen.

"I'll go," Maia spoke up finally. "You're right, Chrystal. You'll be safe with Sebastian, and you can always call James if things get out of hand. I trust you. Besides, I've always dreamed of going to Hawaii."

I smiled at her. "Thank you."

She nodded, and then Thomas stood, letting us know that he trusted my decisions and would go as well. Jasmine and Sarah were still doubtful.

I stared at them pleadingly.

After what felt like an eternity, Sarah sighed. "Fine."

Jasmine gaped at her, but I felt myself smile. "Really?"

Sarah nodded. "Yes. I'll do as you ask. But you have to promise to call us if things get rough and you need us to come home."

I nodded. That was a promise I could keep, because I wouldn't need them to come home. They were going to live through this.

We all turned our gazes to Jasmine. "I don't want to leave you here..."

"Jasmine, please, go with them. Have some fun."

Jasmine's eyes welled up with tears, but she eventually nodded. "But you have to promise me you'll be here when we get back. Safe and sound."

I hesitated. I didn't want to make a promise I couldn't keep. My hesitation, however, brought Jasmine's tears down her face.

"I knew it. You're sending us away because you don't want us to get hurt."

I stood a little too quickly. "Jasmine-"

"What are you not telling us?" Jasmine yelled accusingly. "What are you trying to protect us from? Last time I checked, we weren't the targets here."

At that, I exploded. "No, but you could become one if you stay here and try to protect me! I don't want any of you getting hurt! Sarah told me she didn't want to see me kill anyone to save you all. This is the only thing I could think of to make sure that didn't happen." I felt my tears come back. "My nightmares are filled with all of you being slaughtered. I don't want those dreams to become a reality. I love you guys so much. Please go on your vacation and be safe."

There was silence for a moment, before Sarah gently interjected, "Why don't you come with us?"

I shook my head. "They'll follow me anywhere. I need you all far away from me."

Jasmine then approached me slowly, taking in my scared and saddened state. A moment later, she had wrapped her arms around me. "Fine. We'll go. But I want to hear from you often. Please, stay safe."

I hugged her back and promised, "I'll do the best I can."

Jasmine pulled away and nodded. "I guess we should go pack our things."

"Yeah, you're flight leaves tomorrow afternoon."

They all nodded, then went off to their rooms to get ready for their trip, and I sat back with a sigh of relief and finished my cupcake.


	22. Chapter 22

The remainder of the day was uneventful. Jasmine asked me to help her plan outfits for Hawaii, and I agreed, even offering to let her borrow a few of my sundresses. We chatted away like we used to, before life had become so complicated and full of demons and death threats.

There were so many thoughts rushing through my head that I wanted to talk to Sebastian about, but I couldn't get a moment alone. Everyone wanted to spend as much time with me as they could before they left for a month, probably because none of us were sure if they'd see me again. 

By the time I finally made it to bed, I was beyond exhausted. I lay down on my bed and immediately fell asleep, only to wish that I hadn't.

*

_The manor was ablaze with bright orange flames. The sounds of crackling fire and screams filled the night air. The breeze was tainted with the putrid scent of blood and smoke. I gagged on it, falling to the hard ground._

_I glanced up from coughing in time to see a pair of bright red eyes staring back into mine, and a sadistic smile on the demon's lips. I screamed, only for it to fade away as I found that I couldn't look away, or even move. And I was beginning to feel as if I didn't want to._

_A moment later, the demon was knocked away from me by a flying kick from Sebastian, and I was finally able to avert my gaze as I felt myself take control again. He then stood in front of me, guarding me from the hundreds of other demons that were advancing on us._

_The screams multiplied, and I looked around Sebastian and saw Sarah, covered in blood, falling to the ground._

_I gasped in horror, then glanced around. My friends, all of them, were down on the ground, soaked in what I could only assume was their own blood. All but one._

_Jasmine was staring at them, wide-eyed._

_"Jasmine!" I screamed. "RUN!"_

_She turned and stared at me, but didn't move. She was petrified._

_"Se-" I started, but was interrupted and instead screamed as a demon rammed his arm through Jasmine's stomach. My tears overflowed as I watched the demon pull his blood covered arm away and my best friend fall to the ground._

_"JASMINE!! NOOO!!!" I screamed._

_I lifted my swords from beside me and stood, but I wasn't able to run at the demon like I'd wanted. Sebastian turned and lifted me up, running the opposite direction._

_I screamed and cried and kicked, trying to break free. Eventually, I gave up and just cried. Why? Why did they have to show up tonight? Everyone was leaving for the airport in the morning. They would have been safe. Now they were all dead. I hadn't been able to help them. I was never able to protect anyone..._

_The next time I looked up, we were still being pursued. Sebastian wasn't any faster than the other demons. In fact, some of them were gaining on us. One toward the front then suddenly lurched forward, aiming a hand of sharp claws at my face._

*

I woke up screaming, fighting the blanket that was wrapped tightly around me. As soon as it was removed and thrown on the floor, I held my face in my hands and cried harder than I ever had before.

A moment later, the door opened and Sebastian entered. He sidestepped the blanket on the floor and made his way to me. He didn't say anything as he wrapped his arms around me.

"They killed them..." I cried. "They killed all of them, then one of them tried to kill me..."

Sebastian was gently rocking me back and forth, trying to calm me. I was crying so hard I could barely breathe. I felt sick from the sight of blood from my dream.

I tried to speak again, but became choked on the large lump in my throat. I coughed violently, trembling in Sebastian's arms.

"Breathe, Chrystal," Sebastian ordered. I got my coughing under control and took deep, shaking breaths. He was right, I needed to calm down.

After several failed attempts, I finally succeeded in remembering how to breathe, but it did nothing to calm me. I continued to cry into my hands.

"You need to calm down, Chrystal. It was just a nightmare."

I felt myself nod, and began taking deep breaths again. After ages of deep breathing, I finally calmed enough to stop sobbing.

Sebastian smiled. "There you go."

I wiped my tears away and looked up at him. "Why was one of them trying to kill me? I thought all of them understood they need me. Sure, we were resisting, but..."

"There are plenty of demons that will stop at nothing to make sure the prophecy does not come to pass," he answered. He opened his mouth to continue, but closed it instead.

"What? What were you going to say? If it has to do with any of what's going on, I deserve to know."

He gazed at me solemnly, then reluctantly said, "I'd say one of them is who killed your parents."

I stared at him, confused. "Why would they do that? The ones who had been trying to kill me were sent by the demon from last night. They weren't supposed to hurt me. They disobeyed their orders."

Sebastian nodded. "Perhaps they disobeyed because they were convinced by another demon who wanted you dead."

I was shocked. "So the car crash..."

"Most likely a demon caused it, and you were supposed to be the casualty."

"My parents died because a demon didn't want some prophecy to come true?" I stared at the wall as fresh tears pooled in my eyes. I looked back up at Sebastian, thinking back to what the nurses had told me in the hospital when they found no sign of me hitting the ground. "So is it possible that someone really did catch me?"

"I'd say so. Someone who knew about their plan and wanted you to survive." He smiled suddenly. "Chrystal, so many people are counting on you, but believe me, I am not going to force this fate on you. It is a heavy burden you will bear."

I looked back down at my hands. "Is that why you haven't tried to turn me yet? You want me to choose?"

"That's part of it," he said with a small smile. "You are supposed to overcome your trials as a human. It is how we will all know that you are too powerful to remain as you are."

"Powerful? But I don't have any power... All I have is my swords."

"Which, if I may add, you are extremely skilled with. More so than any human I've ever seen."

I looked down at my hands again. "Am I really supposed to be so powerful that people are scared of me?"

"Many of the demons who are scared of you won't even face you now. Only a handful are daring enough to be trying to track you down. I'm sure news has gotten around of our contract by now. They should all be aware of what happens if they attempt to lay a finger on you."

I felt myself relax at that. Sebastian was under a promise to protect me no matter what. Any demons who tried to come near me would have to first go through him. The weaker ones at least seemed to know their place, and that helped to lower their numbers significantly.

Sebastian then suddenly pulled back from holding me, a slight frown on his face. I glanced up at him, his gaze directed somewhere else. "You should try to get back to sleep. I have something I need to take care of, and you need your rest."

"'Something to take care of'?" I asked, staring at his distracted face. "What is it? What's going on?"

He stared down at me, his expression softening as he saw my fear building again. He leaned down and kissed my forehead. "Rest."

I felt myself nod, and he lay me back down against my pillows. He picked up the blanket from the floor and tucked me in, then smiled at me before leaving the room.

I'd wanted to call out to him again, but lost the will as I became aware of my exhaustion and fell into a dreamless sleep.


	23. Chapter 23

When I awoke again, it was early morning. The dim light of dawn was creeping through the curtains as I sat up and rubbed my eyes. Glancing up at the clock, I noticed it was barely after six. I sighed, knowing I needed more sleep, but also knowing I wouldn't get any if I tried.

I slowly crawled out of bed and made my way over to my closet, where I picked a black strapless dress and a matching cardigan, then found some black gloves in a drawer. I changed quickly, brushed my hair and tied it back, then left my room to wander the house.

I was halfway down the stairs when I stopped as the front door opened. I relaxed when I saw it was Sebastian.

He gently closed the door and locked it, then turned around. His eyes held a faint glimmer of either surprise or amusement. "Chrystal, what are you doing up?"

"I woke up and thought I'd get ready to see everyone off. What were you doing outside?"

Sebastian didn't answer right away, and I felt fear begin to eat at me.

"Sebastian, who was it?" I was now taking in the slightly rough appearance of his suit that he hadn't had a chance to smooth out yet, and his hair seemed a little out of place. He'd been fighting someone out there.

He sighed as he fixed his hair. "It was just an underling. I took care of him."

I felt myself gulp. "So they've found me?"

He gave me a gentle smile. "Not yet."

"But you said-"

"He had been sent to this area to search for you, just like many others have been sent elsewhere. He did not know you were here."

I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. I was fine. Sebastian had taken care of it.

"With that being said, I do not believe it would be a wise idea for you to go with your friends to the airport."

I had expected him to say that. "They could have more searching for me there."

Sebastian nodded. "We do not need them finding you and following you home."

I looked down at my feet. I would just have to say goodbye from home. "Alright."

I could hear his smile as he spoke. "I know you wanted to go with them, but they will understand that you must stay here."

"I know they will. I should stay here, anyway. James will probably stop by at some point to question why we sent all of the police away, or how we got them to leave even when they were under orders to stay."

Sebastian smiled. "You can tell him we simply asked nicely."

I gave him a half smile before nodding. I didn't want to know what Sebastian did to make them leave. As long as no one was hurt, I really didn't care.

Sebastian walked up to me and placed a hand on my head. "How did you sleep after I left? Any more nightmares?"

I gave him a small smile and shook my head. "No dreams at all, actually. That I can remember, anyway."

He returned my smile. "Having no dreams is better than having bad ones." Removing his hand from my head, he asked, "Are you hungry? I imagine Maia will not have time to make breakfast when she wakes up, and I'm sure you will want to spend as much time with them as you can before they leave."

I shook my head. "I don't want to eat right now. I want to eat with everyone else. Can you just have breakfast ready by nine?"

Sebastian smiled. "As you wish."

I then looked down at the floor, my smile falling into a slight frown. I wanted to ask him something, but I knew he'd refuse. Still, I needed to try.

"Is something wrong, Chrystal?"

I sighed. "Sebastian, if I asked you to go with the others to the airport and make sure they were safe, would you?"

He didn't answer right away, and I refused to look up and meet his eyes. I didn't want to know what he was thinking.

"I believe it would be in both our best interests if I didn't," he finally spoke up.

I sighed. I'd known he would refuse to go. He felt he needed to stay here in case something happened. And while he was right, I really wanted him to go with the others and do the same.

I tried again. "If I call and ask James and a few other officers to come over while you're gone, then would you?" I finally looked up and met his gaze. "He'll want to talk anyway, and I'll be safe with them."

I waited as Sebastian searched my pleading eyes for any sign of hesitation. When he found none, he sighed. His resolve was wavering.

"I do not see a reason for anyone to have to go with them. They are not targets. No one should be after them."

"I know that. But I can't shake the images from my nightmare. I just want to know that they'll be safe. As soon as they board the plane, you can come home. Plus, if you recognize any more underlings or whatever, you can get rid of them before they have a chance to find me."

He then wrapped his arms around me. I leaned into his hold, and felt him pet my hair.

"I hate seeing you suffering like this. For that reason, if it will somehow help put your mind at ease and rid you of these images, I will go." His hold on me tightened. "We will leave shortly after noon. If James is not here by then, I am staying."

I relaxed at his words. He was going to do it. He would make sure no one got hurt, and that they all made it safely aboard the plane. His conditions seemed reasonable, and I smiled and hugged him.

"Thank you."

Sebastian leaned down and kissed my forehead, then whispered, "Anything for you, My Love."


	24. Chapter 24

The rest of the morning was uneventful. I called James and he immediately agreed to come when I told him I was going to be home alone otherwise, and he said he would bring a couple of his most trusted coworkers with him.

At breakfast, I sat with the others and listened to them talk about their plans for their vacation. Jasmine said she wanted to go to a luau, Maia wanted to go to all of the finest restaurants to learn new dishes, and Sarah wanted to spend as much time as possible on the beach. I pointed out that she would need a LOT of sunscreen, and Thomas laughed while Sarah looked at me sheepishly. Sarah would be the last person to forget about something like sunscreen, and yet it appeared that she had, which had the rest of us laughing, too.

After we ate, I went with Jasmine to her room to help her quadruple check her luggage. She was really paranoid and felt like she was forgetting something, but as we went through her checklist and I sat and thought about anything she may have forgotten, we couldn't come up with anything.

After that, we sat on her bed and looked up tourist attractions online. I wanted them to be prepared for everything, and I thought maybe doing some research would be fun. However, it was just the opposite. The more I looked at those beautiful pictures of the ocean, the more I realized that my family was leaving, and it finally sank in how much I was going to miss them.

After a few moments, Jasmine slammed the laptop shut, almost smashing my fingers in the process.

"What was that?" I asked her, startled.

"Something's not right. You aren't saying anything."

"What's there to say? I'm just looking at beaches."

"Chrystal, I know that look. Something's bothering you."

I sighed. The last thing I wanted was to give Jasmine another reason to worry about me, but I should've known I couldn't keep my feelings hidden from my best friend.

I turned my head to meet her gaze. She was staring at me, her blue eyes full of concern. I shook my head and forced a smile. "I'm just really going to miss you guys."

She gave a gentle smile in return, then reached out and hugged me. "I'm going to send you so many postcards that you'll still be getting them after we've returned."

This time, my smile was real. "You better."

We talked and looked at pictures online for the next hour or so, until I heard a knock on the door. Jasmine shouted for them to come in, and Sarah opened the door and stepped into the room.

"Chrystal, James is here."

I looked over at the clock on the wall and saw it was nearly noon. Time must have gotten away from us. "Thank you. I'll be down in just a minute."

Sarah nodded and left the room, shortly followed by me and Jasmine carrying her things.

As soon as we made it to the top of the stairs, Sebastian was beside us. He immediately took the large bags from us and carried them the rest of the way to the door. I was grateful; my hand still hadn't fully healed, and lugging around that suitcase sure hadn't been helping.

I caught James's eye when I reached the bottom of the stairs and smiled. He smiled back. I did my best to ignore the gazes of the two other officers standing with him.

"Good morning, Chrystal."

"Good morning, James. Could you wait for me in the sitting room, please? I'd like to say goodbye to my family privately."

James nodded, then left the room, leading his coworkers.

I faced the others, all of them watching me curiously. I just smiled, then turned and hugged each of them before stepping back again. I took a deep breath.

"Sebastian is going with all of you to the airport, just to make sure you are all okay. James is here just so that I'm not here alone if something were to happen, which I don't expect it to. I'm just trying to be cautious."

They all nodded agreeingly, albeit worriedly.

I took another breath. "And if something does happen here while you are away, and doesn't seem to be clearing up, I will be extending your vacation."

"Chrystal-" Jasmine started, but I interrupted.

"It's for my own peace of mind. If something were to happen near the end of your trip, I would be more worried about you all than trying to protect myself. It'll help ensure that we are all safe. Please, don't fight me on this."

Jasmine didn't speak up again.

I smiled at all of them. "That should be everything. I'll try to call you often, hopefully every couple of days." I felt my eyes begin to water, and I blinked quickly, trying to hold back the tears. "I hope you all have a lovely time. Take lots of pictures and enjoy yourselves. I love you all so much."

Sarah spoke up. "We'll see you when we get back."

I wanted to nod and agree with them, but I found that I couldn't.

"Yeah," Maia spoke up. "We'll see you soon."

I met her gaze and saw her determined and sincere expression, and felt myself smile and nod. Somewhere deep inside of me, I knew I would see them again.

They all hugged me one last time before leaving, and Sebastian promised he'd be back in a few hours. I told him I would be fine with James here, but that didn't stop him from giving me a worried glance before he left with the others.

Once the door closed behind them, I let out a sigh. They were gone, but the weight wouldn't be lifted from my shoulders until I knew they had safely landed in Hawaii.

I shook all the negative thoughts from my head. They would be just fine. Airplanes were statistically safer than cars. I knew they would land safely. They were out of harm's way. I could breathe easier.

With that thought in mind, I pasted a smile on my face and made my way to the sitting room to face James and his judgments.


	25. Chapter 25

They all stood when I entered, but I waved it off and motioned for them to sit back down. They did so, and I sat across from them.

"I have to admit," James began with a small smile, "I wasn't entirely surprised to see you had sent all of the officers away."

I returned his smile. "Really? I thought you might become angry with me over it."

James laughed. "Angry? No, I would never be angry with you over something like this. Annoyed? Confused? Frustrated? Maybe."

I looked down at my hands. "I'm sorry, I just didn't feel comfortable with them here."

I saw James lean forward, trying to meet my gaze. "Yes, but that isn't the whole reason, is it?"

I looked up at him, hoping he could see in my expression that I was telling the truth. "It was at first. My mind wouldn't let me relax because I was surrounded by more potential threats. Later, I realized that with the police surrounding my house, the attackers weren't going to come back. I needed them to return so I could catch them and put a stop to whatever is going on."

James was silent, but after a moment of reading me, he nodded.

The officer seated to his right, a woman with a long black ponytail and bright brown eyes, spoke up. "Has anything happened since our officers were told to leave?"

My brain immediately went back to this morning, when I found Sebastian coming back into the house after fighting off a lesser demon. I shook my head. "No, it has been rather quiet."

She didn't seem to believe me, but didn't pry. I was thankful for that. I wasn't a good liar, and if she had continued to ask me questions, they all could have found out about something they had no business knowing.

James, however, gave me a half smile while speaking to his coworker. "Even if something had happened, she wouldn't tell us. She wants to figure out what's happening and stop it before anyone besides her can get hurt." He directed his attention back to me. "That's admirable, Chrystal, believe me. I wish half of our officers had your courage. But I would also put your courage under the category of stupidity. You need to make sure you're alive when your family returns home. They've proven how much faith they have in you by agreeing to go on this trip."

"That's not it," I said. "They all decided to go because they knew I would focus on myself if they were out of the way."

"And they trust you'll do just that."

I didn't answer, not knowing how to respond. I knew they trusted me. If they hadn't, they wouldn't have left.

James stood. "I'm going to walk around outside, see if there is anything we may have missed the last time we were here. Lisa, you stay here with Chrystal. Dan, come with me."

The man who had been seated to James's left stood. James waved to me, then they both made their way out of the room.

Lisa, as James had called her, stared at me with an amused smile. "You don't want him to know anything, do you?"

My gaze shot over to her as she spoke. "What do you mean?"

Her eyes sparkled. "Of course, I can understand why you won't tell him. It's hard to explain to ordinary humans, isn't it?"

"What are you talking about?" I asked cautiously.

She smiled, and I watched in shock as her eyes brightened to a brilliant crimson.

I jumped in surprise and sudden fear. A demon? Why? Wasn't she working for the police? Was she just under cover until she could find me and kill me? I was alone with her now, with no way of defending myself. What was happening?

As she sensed my fear, her smile faded to a frown. "Calm down, I'm not here to hurt you. If I was, I would've done it by now."

Although her words sounded truthful enough, I didn't let my guard down, nor could I calm my racing heart. "Then why are you here?" Surely Sebastian knew she was a demon when he'd seen her, unless he wasn't paying attention because he was too worried about me.

Lisa turned her head to gaze out the window, I followed her eyes, and saw the man James had called Dan searching the edge of the woods beside the house. "I wanted to help protect you."

So that was it. Did Sebastian know her?

"What? Why?"

"The prophecy is a dangerous thing. There have been others before you that fit the description quite well, and they were all found and killed before they could finish their trial or find their lover."

"You know about the prophecy?" I asked carefully.

She turned her eyes back to me with a soft smile. "Every demon knows about it, dear. We are searching for our next queen, after all."

That made sense. "Why me? I mean, why do you want to help protect me?"

"You are the closest thing we've ever had to someone who fits the description. Plus, you've almost finished your trials and you've found one to love. Our world cannot wait much longer for its ruler. It has already began to plunge itself into chaos."

"Your world is in trouble?"

"Without someone to guide us, yes. It has been thousands of years since the king perished. Without authority, many people have taken it upon themselves to do whatever they so desire."

"But why does it have to be me?" I asked her. "I don't want this. I just want to live my life here with my family."

Lisa gave me a gentle smile. "None of us get to choose our fate, Chrystal."

My gaze fell to my clasped hands. "I understand. I can't escape this. I either become a queen or die to the ones who want to prevent that from happening." I closed my eyes and sighed. "It sounds like a lose-lose situation, if you ask me."

Lisa's gaze turned puzzled. "So you don't wish to have power? You do not want people to love and worship you?"

He words made me picture thousands of demons bowing down to me like I was some sort of god, and I visibly cringed. "No, I don't. I don't want anyone to worship me. I just want to live my life as normal. I can't become a queen of your demon world or whatever it is _and_ be with my family."

Lisa's ruby eyes sparkled. "Who said you can't?"


	26. Chapter 26

I stared at Lisa, shocked and confused, for several long moments. Was there some impossibly small chance that I wouldn't have to give up my family? I didn't want to hope for something like this and have my heart immediately shattered, but I found myself daring to, anyway.

Lisa was the first to break the silence. "Had you really not thought about this before? Surely your butler told you."

"Told me what?" I asked cautiously. If Sebastian knew something and didn't tell me, I assumed it was for good reason.

She stared at me for a moment, clearly shocked that I hadn't been made aware of another option. When she had collected herself, she gave me a smile as if what she was about to say should have been obvious.

"You can take them with you, darling."

It was my turn to stare. Take them with me? How was I supposed to do that?

The demoness laughed at my shock and confusion. "It's really rather simple, my dear. All you have to do is ask. Leave the rest to you faithful servant. He'll know how to get them there."

"But what if they don't want to come?" I asked. To ask, they'd have to first be told that demons exist, and even then they'd probably want proof. If I asked and they declined, what would happen to them then?

"Well, I suppose that depends on how much they know," Lisa thought aloud. "I mean, we can't really allow humans who are going to tell everyone everything to roam free. But, I suppose if our queen demands they be left alone..." She gave me a warm smile.

I sighed in relief. They would be fine, no matter what.

Her smile suddenly faded. "Of course, they won't live for nearly as long as you will. And even if you're queen of the demons, there's nothing stopping the other races, like angels or reapers, from killing those they see as pests."

I felt my heart nearly stop. Then a thought occurred to me. "I'll outlive them? Wouldn't I even if they decided to come with me?"

Lisa's smile returned, but this time it was one she would give a small child who had just asked something everyone already knows. "If they decide to come to our world, they'll naturally have to become demons as well. Humans wouldn't last a day, even under your protection."

Great, now not only did I have to prove that demons existed, I also had to convince them to become them. I couldn't let them get hurt. No matter what, they were going to be just fine.

"They're coming back," Lisa commented, pulling me from my thoughts. Her gaze was toward the window. I followed it, but saw nothing. I glanced back at her, and she continued, "I wish I could tell you more, but for now, we need to keep this conversation between the two of us. We can't let the humans find out what's going on, now can we?" She gave me a small smile.

I stared at her, confused as to how she knew the others were returning, but aware that if she was right, I was running out of time to talk to her freely. "Wait! So much that you've told me doesn't make sense. Angels and reapers exist? Does Sebastian know who you are? Why wouldn't my friends last without being turned if I was protecting them?" I had these questions and so many more, but Lisa stood and pressed her index finger to my lips.

"Shh..." she said, putting on her stunning smile. "We can't have the others hearing this, can we? I'll try to talk to you again soon. Hopefully I'll be able to answer your questions once your trial is over. You still have to survive it, after all." She winked at me, then straightened herself just as the door to the sitting room opened. I looked back and saw James and Dan enter.

James looked from the woman standing in front of me to me and asked, "Is everything alright?"

I opened my mouth to answer, trying to come up with something, when I heard the phone ringing from the entrance hall. _Thank goodness._ I thought with an inward sigh of relief.

"Please excuse me for one moment," I said as politely as I could, then stood and tried to walk at a normal pace as I left the room.

When I reached the phone, I glanced behind me to make sure no one had followed, then answered. "Hello? Chrystal Foster speaking."

"Chrystal, I miss you so much already!!" came a shrill voice from the other end.

"Jasmine, is that you?"

"Yup! I just wanted to call you and let you know we're boarding now."

I glanced up at the large clock on the wall. There was no way they'd been gone long enough to already be boarding the plane. Sure enough, it had been nearly an hour and a half since they'd left home. It hadn't felt like that much time had passed at all.

"Good," I told her, happy they hadn't had any problems. "Thank you for letting me know, but I don't want to keep you. Make sure you enjoy yourselves and take lots of pictures of the view and help yourselves to the snacks!"

"We will! Oh, I wish you were here with us."

"Jasmine, you and the others have a good and safe flight. Make sure you call me once you land."

"I will." I could hear the sadness in her voice at how I had avoided her statement. I wanted nothing more than to be there with them, but I couldn't put them in that danger. Had I admitted it, I probably would have went back to James and the others in tears. "I love you, Chrystal."

"I love you too. All of you."

And with that, I hung up.

Since they were boarding, that meant Sebastian would be on his way back any minute, so I could probably expect him home in about an hour. At least I had something to tell James.

As I entered the sitting room again, everyone had made themselves comfortable. James and Dan were sitting on one of the couches, talking in hushed voices, and Lisa was standing near the wall, admiring the photo of my parents.

Lisa turned to me as I closed the door behind me and smiled before turning her attention back to the photograph. "They were a lovely couple."

I smiled. "Yes, they were."

I walked back over to the other couch and sat, preparing myself for them to ask about the phone call, but I never got the chance.

"Look out!" Lisa shouted. The next thing I knew, she had jumped on top of me, shielding me with her body, as I heard the window shatter.

I screamed at the sudden events, instinctively curling into a ball below Lisa. I heard several gunshots as I closed my eyes out of fear. Lisa lifted me into her arms and ran from the room. I heard what sounded like James grunt in pain before the door closed behind us.

We made it halfway up the stairs before the doors burst open and a mass of people flooded in. I clung to Lisa as she ran upstairs, searching for a place to hide.

She finally found a room and entered, locking the door and setting me down. She turned to me. "Call him."

"What?"

"We can't fight them alone. There's too many. Call him."

After a moment, I finally understood.

I removed my left glove and stared at the seal of my contract. "Sebastian. Please, help me."


	27. Chapter 27

There was a long moment where nothing happened. In that moment, fear continued to consume me. What was happening? Who were these people? Were James and Dan alright?

At the thought of James getting hurt, my fear changed. I was still worried about him and the other officer, but I knew what I needed to do. I wasn't some defenseless child. I could help the others.

"Lisa," I said, surprising myself at how steady my voice was. "I need my swords."

Lisa stared at me, clearly not agreeing with my newfound confidence. "Chrystal, are you insane? I can't let you go out there. You'll be killed!"

"If I don't do something, so will James! I need to help him!"

There was a beat between us, and I saw Lisa's eyes move to something over my shoulder.

I turned and looked up. Standing behind me was Sebastian, smiling at me.

"I believe you requested these?" he asked, holding out his hands. In them were my twin blades.

I took the swords from him and turned to the door. Taking a deep breath, I nodded to myself. I could do this.

"Let's go," I said to Sebastian, then ran for the door and threw it open before running toward the sound of guns and groans. Both demons followed.

We made it to the landing in the main hall above the stairs. Below was a massacre. Men and women were fighting each other, which confused me a great deal. Didn't they all come here together? Why were they fighting each other?

Behind me, I heard Lisa give what sounded like a sigh of relief.

I looked to her. "What is it? Why are they all fighting each other?"

She gave me a tense smile, then bowed slightly. "Please forgive me for keeping this from you, but I had several others come with me to watch over you. I made sure they hid outside as to not bother you. We didn't want to take any chances."

I nodded to her, still a little confused. Did James and Dan know they were there? When they'd gone outside, had it really been to converse with the demons hiding in the trees?

I shook my head, clearing it of the intrusive thoughts. I didn't care that they had been hiding around my house. I only cared about making sure James and Dan were safe. I faced forward again.

"Hey!" I called out to the fighting demons below. "I'm the one you want, right? Leave my friends alone and come get me!"

Immediately, I was able to recognize who was friend or foe. A small group of people had horrified looks on their faces, while the rest were giving disgusting smiles that sent chills down my spine.

A moment later, people were running up the stairs, trying to get to me. Several of Lisa's group were clinging to them, trying to keep them back. In the brief moment I knew I had, I turned once again to Lisa.

"Go check on James and Dan. Sebastian and I can take care of them."

"Chrystal-"

"Go!" I shouted. She sighed and disappeared.

I turned just in time to raise my swords. As soon as I did, a man ran forward and skewered himself on one.

Sebastian pushed him off, and I heard the man fall to the ground as I swung my sword at another who had gotten too close.

The landing was becoming packed with people, all of them wanting to get their hands on me. I assumed some of them were demons, but I couldn't be sure. I wasn't able to sense them, but based on their movements, they couldn't have been human.

But I was more concerned with the fact that people were still running up the stairs, trying to get to me when there was clearly no room for them to. I wouldn't be able to use my swords if it got too cramped.

"Sebastian!" I shouted suddenly. "Block off the stairs!"

He didn't say anything, probably because it would just waste time. He jumped onto the railing and ran across it, then jumped gracefully onto the steps, blocking the path of the people who had yet to make it to the landing.

I lost count of how many people I fought off. Most of them didn't seem to have any interest in hurting me. They got close enough to be within range of my swords, and then stopped, waiting for me to push them back. I wanted to think about what it might have meant, but there were too many of them to let myself get sidetracked. I needed to focus. Some of these people were out to kill.

A tall man in a dirty white shirt with unkempt hair somehow made it passed my swords, and I lifted my leg and kicked him hard in the center of his chest. He fell back onto others behind him, but not before grabbing my ankle and pulling me down with him.

I let out a yelp of surprise as I fell, then one of pain as one of my swords fell and sliced a gash in my leg. Several others also cried out, as I wasn't able to control where my swords landed. This did not deter them, though. Everyone on the landing rushed forward, trying to get to me. They pinned me to the ground and stomped on my hands, causing me to cry out again and release my swords. They were instantly scooped up by the intruders.

I closed my eyes, bracing myself for the blade I was expecting to pierce my skin, but it never came. I opened them a long moment later, only to see several faces staring down at me. Another moment passed, then they all glanced up at something in unison. I followed their gaze, and immediately wished I hadn't.

A tall man with long black hair and unfamiliar blood red eyes was staring down at me. As soon as our eyes met, his brightened, and I found I couldn't look away from them. _No,_ I thought, knowing what was happening. _No, I don't want this. Where's Sebastian?!_ Surely he could see what was happening. Why wasn't he helping me?

The demon above me smiled as I felt all of my willpower fading away. _I have to fight this!_ I told myself, but I barely heard it. I wanted this. I wanted him to take me away. What had I just been doing?

The man before me waved his hand, and I felt the people holding my body release me and back away.

"Sit up," he told me.

I sat up, my eyes never leaving his.

He smiled again, and I felt myself return it. Suddenly, he let out a loud laugh, and he spoke to someone elsewhere, but never took his gaze away from mine. "Just a bit longer, and she'll be all mine. Tell me, what does it feel like to watch the one you love be taken from you?"

I could hear his words, but I couldn't comprehend anything he was saying. My mind was emptying of all thoughts, and my heart was beginning to long for the man in front of me to hold me. Someone yelled something, but I didn't care who they were talking to or what they were talking about. All I cared about was staring into this man's eyes.

"That's it, Chrystal, just a little bit more. Then I'll take you far away from here. It'll be just you and me."

I felt my smile widen. Nothing else mattered. I would go anywhere with this man.

He reached out his hand. "That should be long enough. Come with me, Chrystal." He then directed his words elsewhere again, but his eyes never left mine. "Watch this, Sebastian. I'm going to make your love mine."


	28. Chapter 28

My hand froze. Sebastian? Why was that name familiar? Where had I heard it before?

The man - no, demon - who was standing over me, frowned. "Come along, Chrystal. There's nothing to worry about. Let's get you out of here."

I wanted to. I desperately wanted to take this man's hand, but something was keeping me from doing so. _Who is Sebastian?_

"CHRYSTAL!!"

My eyes flew toward the source of the voice that was screaming my name, and as they landed on a tall man with black hair, blood staining the front of his clothes, who was fighting against three others who were holding him in place, my mind was swarmed with all of the memories that had been stolen away. _This_ was Sebastian. _This_ was my love.

I felt my eyes fill with tears as I stared at him. I was terrified. I had almost lost. I had been inches away from taking that demon's hand. If I had...

"Se..." I started, but was interrupted by people pinning me down again. I tried to fight back, but there were too many of them. I stopped when I saw the two holding my swords, but I refused to look at that demon again.

"You stupid girl," he said. I could hear his anger in his voice. "I've won. You're mine. Now, look at me and let's leave this horrible building you call a home. There's a palace waiting for you."

I closed my eyes.

The man growled in anger, then lunged at me. I felt his hands wrap around my throat. "Open your eyes, girl! Would you really rather die than become a queen?" His grip tightened, and I gasped for air. "Open your eyes, and I'll let go."

I closed my eyes even tighter. He did the same with his fingers around my neck.

I couldn't breathe. He really was going to kill me.

But I knew of an alternative.

"Se...bas...tian.... Kill... him..."

There was a short moment where the man clenched his fists around my neck, and I was sure it was going to break. I could no longer get any air inside my lungs, and I lay limp on the floor. Then, the man released me, and I heard him fly across the landing, hit the banister, break it, and fall to the floor. I gasped for air, finally able to breathe a little, but I still couldn't move. Even with their leader being attacked, the people holding me down refused to let go.

It didn't take long for me to be rescued, though. A few moments later, the people holding me down were all flying across the landing. I sat up as Lisa knelt beside me.

"Are you alright?" she asked me.

I opened my mouth to respond, but the only thing that came out was a violent cough. I was still gasping for air. My hands went to my neck, rubbing the sore skin.

Lisa shoved my hands aside and replaced them with her own. Her face went from worried to fearful in a matter of seconds.

She cursed under her breath. "He's crushed your windpipe. We need to get you to the hospital about twelve seconds ago."

She picked me up and jumped from the landing. I closed my eyes and braced for a rough impact with the ground, but she landed gracefully, then took off at full demon speed toward the hospital.

A few minutes passed, then she came to a sudden halt. I was still gasping, trying to get oxygen into my body. I turned my head to see why we had stopped.

It was another demon, but this time, it was the one from the cave.

"Get out of my way, Evan. I'm in a hurry."

"I can see that," the demon, Evan, replied softly. "Hand her over, Lisa. I can help her."

I felt Lisa's arms tighten around me protectively.

Evan sighed. "You have my word. I only want to help. You can't very well take her to a human hospital and tell them she was attacked by a demon, especially one who has now been murdered by someone else."

 _Sebastian killed him..._ I thought as I felt my eyelids close as my body seemed to give up on trying to get more air. _Good..._

"Lisa, now!" I heard Evan yell, but his voice sounded far off.

I felt Lisa move, then hand me off to Evan. I wanted to fight, but I didn't have the strength. The familiar fog came over me, removing any desire I had to push the demon away. He sat on the grass with me in his lap. One of his hands held my head up, the other was wrapped around both of my wrists as an extra precaution. A moment later, his lips were on mine.

Even with my mind clouded, I wanted to push him away. This was wrong. He wasn't allowed to kiss me. What did he think he was doing?

Gradually, my neck began to tingle, and I was slowly getting back the ability to breathe. I took deep, painful breaths through my nostrils as Evan kept our lips tightly connected. He held me there for several long minutes, and only finally pulled away when my breathing returned to normal and was no longer painful. He had healed me.

I opened my eyes and looked up at him, still unable to think clearly. He gave me a gentle smile, then turned his attention to my bleeding leg. He adjusted his hold on me so I would be comfortable, then raised my cut to his lips. Slowly, he licked the blood from the gash, then kissed it softly.

"Unfortunately," he said, setting my leg back on the ground, "I cannot do anything for the bruises on your neck. It shouldn't hurt, but the marks will have to go away on their own, I'm afraid."

"...Thank you, Evan."

Evan turned his gaze from me to Lisa. "We're on the same team here, Lisa. I do hope you realize that now."

She nodded, staring down at her hands. "I do. I was worried you were just like the one who attacked her tonight, simply wanting to have her to become the next king."

He stared down at me again, his smile returning. "No, I have no interest in become king."

This caught my foggy mind's attention. "But you had said..."

His smile faltered slightly. "Yes, I did say I wanted the power, didn't I? The truth is, I lied to you. I care nothing about power. I was simply hoping that if you chose me, I could spare you from events like tonight. I was only trying to protect you, but I now see that I was going about it the wrong way. I truly do want you and Sebastian to make it through this."

At the mention of his name, the fog vanished completely and I sat up in Evan's arms. "Sebastian!"

Lisa came over and helped me to my feet. As soon as I was standing, I heard leaves rustle. I glanced up, and before me stood Sebastian.

His hair was messed up from his fight, and he still had on his blood soaked clothes. Even so, I ran to him, my tears returning. I latched onto him, crying. He held my head against his chest comfortingly, but I could tell from his lack of movement that he was eyeing Evan.

After a long moment, I could feel that he lowered his head, and his hold on me tightened. "Thank you."

I heard the grass beneath Evan crunch as he stood. "I can't very well let our future queen die, now can I?" he asked, and I could hear a playfulness behind his words. "Sorry I had to kiss her to do it, though. Hope there's no hard feelings or anything."

Sebastian didn't answer. He just held me.

Lisa spoke up softly, "I'm going to head back and clean up the mansion. She doesn't need to go back and see all that."

Sebastian nodded, and I pulled away from him slightly, trying to turn my gaze to Lisa. "What happened to James?" I asked, my voice portraying my fear.

She gave me a small smile. "He and Dan are both going to be fine. Don't worry."

I nodded. They'd gotten hurt. If I hadn't called them over, they would have been fine. But if I hadn't I would have been dead. At least we had all three survived.

Sebastian gently grabbed my chin and forced me to meet his gaze. He was giving me his soft, loving smile. "Let's get you home."

I nodded, and let Sebastian lift me up and carry me back home.


	29. Chapter 29

We made it home quickly, probably within a minute or two. Sebastian opened the front door and carried me inside, and I gaped at what I saw.

Lisa was standing in front of the door with a smile on her face similar to the one Sebastian often wore. Behind her, there was no sign of the event that had happened not half an hour ago. There were no bodies, the banister was fixed, and no bloodstains dirtying the floor.

My shock only lasted a moment. I had other things to worry about rather than a clean house. "Is James still here?" I asked Lisa.

She opened her eyes and answered, "He's waiting in the sitting room."

Sebastian set me gently on my feet, then I sprinted for the sitting room.

I threw open the large door, eager to see if James was alright. He and his coworker, Dan, both jumped as the door slammed against the wall. I ignored it and entered the room, smiling to see them both safe.

James stood and met me halfway to the couches. He was returning my smile until his gaze landed on my bruised neck. He frowned.

I resisted the urge to cover the marks. "I'm fine, James. Really."

His eyes told me he didn't believe me, and they continued to search my body for other injuries. His gaze stopped again at the blood on my leg.

"It must be someone else's," I lied. "I'm not cut." _Not anymore,_ I added inwardly.

His gaze returned to my eyes, his expression clearly holding a new fear. "You didn't-"

"She hasn't killed anyone."

We both turned to see Lisa had just entered the room, Sebastian behind her. "She only really injured one person, and I've already had them all sent to the hospital. Chrystal has already been taken care of as well, and she's going to be just fine."

James's eyes darted back to my bruised neck, but I did my best to ignore it. He turned back to Lisa. "What do you think caused this? Who was behind it?"

Lisa shrugged. "I never saw his face, or what happened to him. However, the people I spoke with about why they had come had interesting answers."

"And those are...?" James asked.

"Some of them don't remember arriving here, and many remember coming, but nothing after that. Most said they were forced to come by the man who was behind it all, others believe they were hypnotized or controlled."

I looked to Sebastian, and he seemed to be thinking the same thing I was. That demon had forced all of these humans to come and attack me. He had put them in a trance just like he had with me. But if they were able to come out of it once their master was killed...

Suddenly, the door opened again, and I jumped a little, startled. Evan entered the room, glancing around at all of the worried and concentrated faces.

"Um... Is this a bad time?" he asked.

I shook my head. "No, Evan. It's fine."

James looked to me again. "A friend of yours?"

I shook my head. "More of an acquaintance, really."

Evan gave a fake gasp. "I'm hurt."

I rolled my eyes, then walked over and sat on one of the couches, my mind going back to my previous thoughts. But I didn't get to think on them long.

"Well," James said, clearly still confused about Evan's sudden entrance, "it's about time we left, I believe. No need to overstay our welcome, plus we need to report what happened here today."

Dan stood as I nodded to James. I really didn't mind having them around, but they had work to do, and I could use a little alone time after nearly being murdered. Besides, based on what Lisa said, I have some things to talk to Sebastian about.

I started to stand, but James didn't let me. "We'll be fine. You've been through a great deal this afternoon. Relax for a little while."

I simply sat back down and nodded.

James waved for Dan and Lisa to follow him. Sebastian opened the door and led them out. When he returned a few moments later, he was holding what appeared to be a washcloth.

Sebastian knelt on the floor in front of me and started gently washing away the drying blood on my leg. I let him, and sat back with a heavy sigh.

"Those people... they were being controlled?" I asked, staring up at the ceiling.

"It certainly appeared that way," Sebastian answered. "They did what they were told immediately, and they didn't try to hurt you or anyone else. They only thrashed about when they were getting blocked off."

"But they hurt you," I commented, glancing at him. It was then that I realized he'd somehow found time to change out of his bloodied shirt.

His gentle smile returned. "Actually, his demon friends were the ones who attacked and held me back. The humans being controlled did not harm me."

I sat up a little, ready to voice my next thought. "Lisa said they didn't remember doing any of what they did."

Sebastian nodded, but said nothing else.

I took a deep breath. "Does that mean the spell broke when you killed him?"

He glanced up from scrubbing my leg to meet my gaze. "It would appear that way. However, what he was trying to do to you today was different. I am unsure if killing the person responsible would save you once it is done."

I turned my gaze to Evan, who was now staring at the paint on the wall. As if he could feel my stare, he spoke up. "I'm not sure, either. I guess we could try it, if it ever comes down to it. But I would think if you were taken with the both of us protecting you, we wouldn't be of much use trying to kill him."

Sebastian stood then, and I glanced up in time to watch him remove his gloves, which must have gotten wet from the washcloth. The dark pentagram of our contract shone on his left hand. He didn't bother to cover it back up.

I glanced down at my clean leg. "Thank you."

I could hear his smile as he spoke, "It is my pleasure, My Love."

There was a moment of silence between the three of us, then I decided to voice what I was sure we were all thinking. "So this means they've found me."

Neither of them answered, and I took their silent glances to one another as a yes.

"So now what do I do?"

"Well, I would recommend relocating," Evan stated. "Clearly they know where you live now, and the demons who escaped are going to go back and tell others where you are. I would expect a large number of them here in a day or two."

"It is not a bad idea," Sebastian added. "We need to make sure you are safe. The problem would be trying to leave undetected."

"And Jasmine will be calling the house if I don't contact her. If I don't pick up, they'll all fly home. I'm not risking their lives." I thought for a moment. "Maybe it's time I finally invest in a cell phone..."

Evan clapped his hands once. "Great! You do that, and I'll think up a plan to get you out of here without anyone noticing. We'll have to tell Lisa, of course."

"And James," I added.

"And James," Evan agreed. "I'll be back with a plan tomorrow." And with that, he left.

I looked back up to Sebastian as he spoke. "You've had quite an eventful afternoon. Why don't you go rest for a while and we'll go get you a phone this evening?"

"I'm going outside?" I asked warily.

"No one is going to attack you somewhere as crowded as a store, I promise you that. And if they do, I will be right beside you."

I nodded, then let Sebastian help me to my feet before I ascended the stairs to my bedroom. 


	30. Chapter 30

After a refreshing nap, Sebastian and I went to the mall and I picked out a cell phone. I hadn't wanted to get anything fancy, but after listening to the sales lady go on and on about the new smart phone. I decided to get one just to shut her up.

After we set up my phone, we returned to the mansion, where I proceeded to call Jasmine.

She picked up immediately. "Hello?"

"Hey, Jasmine. It's me."

"Chrystal? Are you there? Is something wrong? What happened?"

I sighed and sat down on my bed. "I just wanted to talk to you. Is that wrong?"

I heard Jasmine sigh in relief. "Okay. No, that's fine. Talk all you want. I miss you."

"I miss you, too," I smiled sadly. "Anyway, I got a cell phone. Save this number and call me here from now on."

"You bought a cell phone? You always said you didn't need one."

"Well, I decided I do," I told her. Then I sighed, knowing I had to tell her the truth. "Look, Jasmine. You seriously can't call the home phone anymore."

"Why not?"

I hesitated. Would she try to come home? Would they all?

Apparently I thought longer than I realized. "You're leaving, aren't you?"

I nodded, then remembered she couldn't see it. "Yeah, I am. They found me."

She gulped loudly in fear. "So now what?" Her voice was shaking.

"Sebastian and James are going to move me somewhere safe. I'll be okay. Just promise me you'll only call me on this number and that you and the others won't come home until I give you the all clear."

There was a long pause between us, as if she was seriously considering if she should do as I asked or jump on the next flight over.

When she didn't say anything, I sighed. "Do you remember those nightmares I told all of you about? The ones where you're all slaughtered right before my eyes?"

She didn't say anything, but I knew she did. I continued.

"I'm going to be honest with you. Every time I have those dreams or visions or whatever they are, everyone else is already dead from the start. It's just us and Sebastian. He's protecting me, and I scream for you to run away, but you're petrified. I watch my attackers kill you every single time. I can't let that happen for real. I can't lose you for real."

There was silence between us again. The tears in my eyes were slowly escaping and running down my cheeks, and I thought I could hear Jasmine's sniffles.

"Please. Don't come back. I will let you know when it is safe. And if I can't, then-"

"No ifs about it," Jasmine interrupted. "You'll be fine. You've made it through so many impossible things. You can make it through this, too."

A small smile appeared on my lips. "I haven't made it through any impossible things."

"Chrys, need I remind you that you survived a car crash that should have taken your life? You also survived several kidnappings, _and_ you came back from getting shot. You're a walking miracle. You can survive anything."

My smile grew, but she hadn't answered my question. "So..."

"I will tell the others what you told me. You are being relocated and it is in everyone's best interest if we stay where we are. We don't need to become distractions for you. We will stay put until you tell us it is safe to return home."

I nodded. "Thank you, Jasmine."

I could hear her smile as she replied, "No problem."

We said our goodbyes after a few more minutes of chatting, then I hung up the phone and plugged it into an outlet beside my bed. I had to make sure it was fully charged when I could. I didn't know what the world had in store for me, but I did know that if I didn't answer when Jasmine or one of the others called, they'd either come home or assume the worst. I wasn't going to risk their lives by letting my phone die.

I lay back against my pillows with a heavy sigh. Jasmine gave me her word. She never broke a promise, so I knew she would do as I asked. The others, though, especially Sarah, I wasn't so sure.

She hadn't always been so protective of me. Before the accident, we were friends. She came by and played with me when my parents were too busy, she helped me with my homework, she took me shopping. But she had never acted overprotective or motherly. She just wanted for me to be happy, and I could tell she was having fun, too.

After the accident, though, everything changed. She stayed with me every waking hour in the hospital, let me cry on her shoulder. I think the reason she started acting differently was because of how pathetic I had been. Maybe it was just to ease my pain, maybe it was because she wanted to prove that she and the others could raise me. Even so, I became something that needed to be protected. She became the head maid and, until Sebastian showed up, she was always at my side.

Even after I turned 18, she still made sure I was taken care of. Sure, it's her job, but I'd always thought I'd have some space when I grew up. I knew it was probably because of the kidnappings and then them getting taken away as bait, and then me getting shot, so I understood. I love Sarah to death, and I appreciate her caring for me and not trying to replace my parents, but her protective side needed some adjustments.

A knock on my bedroom door pulled me from my thoughts. I called out that they could enter, and the door opened to reveal Sebastian. Which I should have expected, considering he was the only other person in the house.

"How did the call go?" he asked curiously as he approached.

"Jasmine promised to stay there until I or someone gave them the okay to come home. She said she'd tell the others the same thing."

Sebastian nodded. I knew he didn't really care about what happened to the others. But he knew I did, and he would do or say anything to keep my happy.

"So do you have a plan yet?" I asked, growing anxious again. They knew where I was now. They could attack again at any moment.

"Actually, there was a call from James a few minutes ago. He also wants you relocated, and he said he will be stopping by first thing in the morning to discuss our options."

"I see." I felt my fear increase. One whole night. I had to survive one whole night knowing I could be bombarded at any moment. I gulped.

Sebastian sat on the bed beside me and took my hand. "Chrystal, nothing will happen to you tonight. I guarantee it."

I nodded, but his words did little to calm me.

"Come. I have dinner prepared for you downstairs. You need to eat."

I nodded again, but didn't move. As a result, Sebastian sighed and lifted me into his arms and carried me down the stairs and into the dining room, where I would eat what could possibly be my last meal.


	31. Chapter 31

I ate very little at dinner. Every sound made me jump. A car door, a bird's call, the buzzing of a fly. I grew so anxious I felt I was going to vomit. I dropped my fork onto the plate before me and sighed.

Sebastian appeared beside me a moment later. He took my plate away while I slumped back into my chair, my mind racing once again. Surely more demons were already on their way to kill me or take me away. What was I supposed to do? Just sit around and wait, pretending everything was fine?

All I wanted was to go to bed and sleep soundly through the night. Sadly, it wasn't late enough for that yet. I didn't understand how it was only around eight in the evening when so much had already happened today. I just wanted the morning to come. When the sun rose, James and Lisa would be here taking me somewhere safe. I only had to survive until then.

"Chrystal," Sebastian's gentle voice said from beside me. I jumped in my chair, startled from my thoughts. When my eyes met my butler's, I looked away and held my head in my hands. I was so on edge that even the sound of my love's voice was enough to make me fear for my life. How was I supposed to survive a whole night?

I felt his hand on my shoulder, and I leaned into him. "I'm ready for bed now." I didn't care how early it was. I wanted the day to be over.

Sebastian held me tighter, no doubt sensing my anxiety about the night to come. Maybe he shared some of it. "As you wish."

Sebastian lifted me from the chair. I didn't move as he paused for a moment, probably waiting to see if I would resist him. I didn't. My mind was elsewhere.

He carried me out of the kitchen and up the stairs, then made his way to my bedroom. He sat on the edge of my bed and held me tighter.

We were both silent for a long moment. I was staring off into space, my mind filled with every possible situation that could present itself tonight. Sebastian, on the other hand, was thinking something different. "I almost lost you today..." he finally said quietly.

I looked up at him, finally pulling myself out of the future and back to the moment at hand. I hadn't seen such fear and sadness on his face since I was shot a year ago. My heart ached at the sight.

One of his hands came up and caressed the bruises on my neck. I shivered as his cold fingers grazed my skin, but I didn't pull away. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I wondered why he wasn't wearing his gloves, but I didn't care enough to ask. I leaned into his touch.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, thinking back on the event that had happened that afternoon. "I tried to fight his hold, but I couldn't..."

"Shh..." Sebastian's hand moved from my neck to cup my cheek. "Nothing that happened today was your fault. You have no need to apologize." He gave me a soft smile. "Besides, you did fight him off, remember?"

"Only because he said your name. If he hadn't..."

"There's no need to think about what could have happened. You'll only scare yourself even more. For now, celebrate that you beat a demon's mind games."

I finally returned his smile. "Maybe you won't have to eat me after all."

He chuckled a little at my joke, then leaned down and kissed me softly. My eyes fluttered closed while my right hand covered his that was still holding my cheek, and my left wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer.

I don't know how long we sat there, but when he eventually pulled away, I was breathless. I felt myself blush as he smiled, then he turned and laid me on my bed.

I rolled over onto my side and adjusted my head on my pillow as Sebastian pulled the covers over my shoulders.

"Please stay here with me tonight," I blurted. I hadn't wanted to ask, but my fear was greater than my will. I wanted him in here with me tonight. I wanted to feel safe.

Sebastian smiled as he lay beside me. "I had already planned on it. I will not leave your side all night." He held my hand in his, and I felt relief wash over me as I smiled back and snuggled against him.

"I love you, Sebastian," I said, closing my eyes.

He leaned down and kissed the top of my head. "I love you too. Sleep well."

I smiled at his words as I felt him remove the tie from my hair and it fall around my face. And as he played with my hair, I fell into a restful and dreamless sleep. 


	32. Chapter 32

When I awoke the next morning. The first thing I noticed was Sebastian was still right beside me. I sighed contentedly. He meant what he said. He didn't leave me.

"Good morning, My Love," came his voice from above my head.

I tilted back to meet his gaze, and we smiled at each other. I quickly adjusted myself and wrapped back up in my blanket. "Five more minutes..." I mumbled sleepily.

Sebastian chuckled. "As you wish."

And so we lay there, his arm wrapped around me as I snuggled up beside him, for what was probably closer to fifteen minutes before I was barely able to hear what had to have been someone banging loudly on the front door.

At that, I was fully awake and alert as memories from yesterday returned. I bolted upright, once again fearing for my life.

Sebastian sighed, then sat up and caressed my cheek. "Relax, My Love. It's Evan. Let's go allow him in, shall we?"

I sighed in relief. I was safe for the time being. "You go let him in. I want to change and pack up a few things."

Sebastian nodded and bowed, then left the room.

I took off my outfit from the day before and opened my closet. I didn't need anything fancy, but I wanted to look presentable. I chose a simple black dress that went down to just below my knees, then found some black gloves and flats to wear. Turning to face the mirror, I tried to decide if I wanted to tie my hair back or not. I brushed it out, then decided against it. It looked fine the way it was, hanging down around me in wavy white locks.

After a long moment of staring at my reflection, I shook my head to clear it and focused back on what I had wanted to do. Once again approaching my closet, I pulled a small bag out and sat it on my bed. It was a small purple suitcase that my parents had bought me for a vacation they had planned but never ended up taking. It wouldn't hold much, but it was big enough for what I needed.

Quickly, I packed a few undergarments and dresses, then a couple of pants and tops. As an afterthought, I threw in a pair of black sneakers, then spent at least a good minute trying to zip the bag shut. I also quickly grabbed a small black purse and put some money in it, just in case I would need it, along with my cellphone and charger.

Lifting the bag from the bed and draping the purse over my shoulder, I walked over to the door. I turned and stared back at my bedroom, wondering if it was the last time I would ever see it. My eyes scanned every piece of furniture and every shadow, until they landed on an item that I was surprised I had nearly left without.

The black rose from Sebastian was still in its vase on my nightstand. I sat my bag on the floor by the door and walked back over to it. It surprisingly didn't seem to have wilted at all since I had received it. Knowing I didn't want to leave it behind, I plucked it from the vase and turned once again to my mirror, where I watched carefully as I tucked the flower behind my ear. Once it was secure, I smiled, then again picked up my bag and made my way downstairs.

When I reached the entrance hall, Evan was not the only visitor. James and Lisa had also arrived, both looking grim next to Sebastian and Evan, who were chatting away.

Sebastian stopped mid-sentence as soon as I was visible to him. He came over and took the small bag from me, smiled as he noticed the rose, then walked beside me as I approached my guests.

"Hello again," I said, trying my best to give them a genuine smile.

"Hiya," Evan answered, waving. Lisa forced a smile, and James didn't say a word. I could tell he was staring at the bruises on my neck again, but I chose to ignore it.

James finally lifted his eyes to meet mine. "Have you eaten yet?"

I shook my head. "No, I only just woke up."

"Alright, we'll get you something on the way. I don't want to stay here any longer that we have to."

I nodded. As much as I loved my home, I'd rather be anywhere else at the moment. "So what's the plan?"

"We're still making arrangements for where to keep you. They should be finished by this afternoon, and we'll have you safe and sound in your new home by early evening."

I nodded slowly. "So... where am I being kept until then?"

Lisa answered, her expression showing her concern about the situation. "You and your butler will be coming with us and staying at the station until the preparations are complete. We have a spare conference room where you will be kept alone. Only James and I are allowed to enter when you are present."

My heart nearly stopped, and I probably paled a little. I was to be kept at the police station for most of the day. Yes, the police were supposed to protect people, but I had fled from them a year ago. And that wasn't even my main concern. Lisa was a demon who had infiltrated the police force. What if she wasn't the only one? What if there were others there with different intentions than keeping me safe?

James spoke up as he noticed me frozen. "It'll be alright. No one else besides Lisa and I are allowed to enter the room and speak to you. Those are rules set by the higher ups. We won't let anything happen to you."

I was able to give him a slight nod.

He sighed. "I'm going to start the car. Come out when you are ready, but don't be too long." Then he left.

Lisa walked over to me and placed a hand on my shoulder. As if she could read my thoughts, she said, "Yes, other demons are working at the station. Some of them seem to have some interest in this whole thing. I will not be letting any of them near you. In fact," she added, straightening herself, "I won't be leaving your side the entire time you're at the station. I'm James's partner, and he wants me to stay with you, so I will."

"But if you're partners, shouldn't you always be with each other? Isn't that the point?" I asked, confused.

Lisa smiled. "It'll be alright. He's supposed to stay at the station and work on paperwork all day. Other officers will be taking care of calls, unless for some reason he feels the need to jump into action."

I relaxed a little and returned her smile with a small one of my own. "Okay. At least with you and Sebastian with me, I know I'll be okay."

Lisa's smile brightened. "That's the spirit. Now come on. We shouldn't keep James waiting much longer."

I nodded, then looked over at Evan, who had remained quiet since his greeting. "Don't worry. I'll find you when you get settled in your new home. We can figure out a plan of action from there."

I nodded again, slightly confused and concerned about how he was going to find me, then turned toward the door. Sebastian and I followed Lisa out to the police car. Lisa got in the front, while Sebastian and I climbed into the back. As soon as the door closed, we were off.


	33. Chapter 33

I've had many eyes stare at me when I walked into a room in the past, but never had I felt as uncomfortable as now.

We had reached the police station after a long drive full of silence. My thoughts tried to keep me sane, but nothing really helped until I felt Sebastian's gloved hand on my knee. I'd taken a deep breath and leaned against the window, listening to the silence.

Now, we were walking into the station, and while most of the stares seemed to be curious, I could tell there were some people looking at me like I was food and they hadn't eaten in days. Other stares were cold, and I could only assume they were the ones Lisa had talked about. Either way, I didn't have to be able to sense demons to know I was surrounded.

I barely breathed the entire time we walked to the conference room. I stared at the floor, not wanting to meet the gaze of someone who clearly had other things in mind than my protection. I kept my eyes on Lisa's heels, knowing she and James were leading me to safety.

When we finally reached the conference room, James paused outside the door long enough to tell us he was going to tell his boss I had arrived and then get started on his work. I didn't lift my gaze from Lisa's shoes, but someone must have nodded to him, because he didn't waste any time leaving.

Lisa opened the door before her and ushered me inside. Once the door closed behind us, I finally let myself breathe. Sebastian sat my purple suitcase on the floor and immediately wrapped his arms around me. I clung to him as Lisa locked the door and sighed.

"I apologize. I didn't think they would all be in the main hall and offices today. I assume they heard you were coming."

I peeked at Lisa, who seemed to be sincerely apologizing. I shook my head as I pulled away from Sebastian slightly. "No, don't be sorry. The way they look at me isn't your fault. Besides, you're doing everything you can to protect me. As long as they don't get close enough to hurt me, I can deal with them." My brain then decided to replay the images of their stares, and I cringed. "Hopefully," I added.

Lisa smiled a little. "Don't worry. They'll have to get passed me if they want to enter this room, and I don't go down easy."

I did my best to return her smile, and then we all sat in the room in silence.

None of us said a word for what felt like an hour or so. I sat in a chair at the table and Sebastian stood very close to my side. Lisa sat by the door, arms crossed, eyes closed. She appeared to be listening intently for danger, and I wasn't about to say anything that could disturb her.

Many people walked passed the conference room. Most of them always stopped for a moment to glance at me through the window. It wasn't until someone stared at me with hungry red eyes that made me jump from my seat that Lisa finally turned and pulled the blinds.

There were a few knocks on the door as well. Some of them Lisa excused herself for, and wasn't gone but for a moment or two before quickly returning. Others, she ignored when she saw their faces.

It wasn't until my phone rang at around noon that the silence in the room had broken. I opened my purse and retrieved my phone, answering it immediately.

"Hello?" I asked, trying my best to ignore Sebastian's and Lisa's stares.

"Chrystal? How are you? What's happening over there?"

I didn't answer right away. I was a little shocked to hear Sarah on the other end of the line rather than Jasmine.

"Chrystal? Are you there?"

I cleared my throat. "Yes, sorry. I'm alright. How are you?"

"Nevermind about me! Jasmine told us everything. Where are you now?"

I looked up to Lisa, who was shaking her head. She didn't want me to tell her. The one who practically raised me. I sighed.

"I'm sorry, Sarah, but I can't tell you."

"But-!" she started, then sighed. "I understand. But you're safe where you are?"

I nodded even though she couldn't see it, and smiled. "Yes, I'm perfectly safe. Thank you for your concern. I'll try to keep all of you as informed as I can."

"Alright. I'll take what I can get. I have to go, but we'll all talk to you soon."

"Okay. Love you guys."

I hung up a moment later and put the phone away just as there was yet another knock on the door. I felt my body tense as it did with each person that passed. Lisa peeked through the blinds and opened the door a moment later to reveal James. He was forcing a smile and in his hands were too bags from a fast food place in town.

"Hey," he greeted as he entered the room. "How are you holding up?"

I gave him my best fake smile. "I'm just fine, thanks. How's your day?"

The look he gave me revealed he knew my smile was fake, but he didn't press it. "Just been doing paperwork. I thought you might be hungry, so I went out and got us some lunch."

I nodded, this time giving him a real smile. None of us had felt safe to stop on the way to the station like we had planned, so I hadn't eaten anything yet.

I gratefully accepted the offered bag of food, then James sat down across from me with his own. He hadn't offered anything to Lisa or Sebastian, and I gave him a curious look as a result.

Before I could say anything, James spoke first. "Chrystal, don't say anything. I know what you're about to ask."

Lisa stood then. "James, are you sure now is a good time to-"

He looked at her for a brief moment. "Yes, I'm sure. She deserves to know everything."

Lisa hesitantly nodded, then sat back down, looking very submissive under James's stare.

"James? What's going on? What do I deserve to know?"

He looked my way and caught my gaze. His expression was more serious than I had seen in a while. It had me almost as nervous as the demons outside.

"Chrystal Foster," he began, "we need to have a talk."


	34. Chapter 34

I watched James carefully. "Why? Has something happened?" Their plans to hide me hadn't fallen through, had they? What could we possibly need to talk about?

James looked over to Lisa, who was nervously chewing on her lower lip. I had never really seen her without her usual confidence, and that only added to my unease.

"You don't need to worry. This has nothing to do with hiding you."

His words did little to ease what I was feeling.

He took a deep breath. "Lisa and I haven't been completely open with you. About ourselves, anyway."

My mind immediately went to the fact that Lisa was a demon. Did James know? Or was this about something else?

I couldn't keep the question in. "You know, don't you? About what's really behind these attacks."

James hesitantly nodded. "I also know what Lisa and your butler are, hence why I only brought food for the two of us."

I looked down at my food, trying to process this information. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Sebastian's face was unreadable, which did little to calm my nerves.

"How did you find out?" I asked quietly.

Lisa answered. "I told him everything when I met him."

I looked over to her as she stood and approached the table. She continued, "I've been watching over you ever since I found you many years ago, Chrystal. I doubt you remember, but I was one of your tutors when you were very young. It was my way of making sure you stayed safe."

I didn't remember her, no matter how hard I tried.

"Anyway, I was never very far away from you. I was always watching over you. Like a guardian angel, one might say."

That triggered a memory in my brain. "'Guardian angel'.... Lisa, did you save me that day? Did you catch me?"

Lisa didn't say anything for a long moment, but she eventually nodded, smiling sadly. "I did, dear. You were right in your statement that the car came out of nowhere, because it did. Demons were behind the accident. They had found you just as I had, and they were trying to get rid of you before you became aware of your destiny." She lost her smile. "I'm so sorry that I couldn't save your parents, Chrystal. After I laid you on the ground and made sure you would live, I checked on them, but there was nothing I could do. I called the authorities and then left, knowing you would be taken care of."

We sat in silence for a moment, both probably mourning the loss of my parents. After a beat, she continued once again. "Once Sebastian came to care for you, I had to distance myself from you. I couldn't let him pick up on me watching over you. It was his job now, after all. So I joined the police force as a way to stay in this realm and help you if you ever needed me. When I heard the news that you were missing from your home a year ago, I panicked and searched for you everywhere. Then I found you, but James had found you first. When he ran from the cave, I stopped him and told him everything. We both agreed to help one another, because our goals were to protect you. We've been partners ever since."

I looked over to James, who had already finished his food, while I had yet to even take mine from the paper bag.

"But you aren't in a contract, are you?" I asked curiously.

"No," Lisa answered. "All either of us wants out of life is to protect you and make sure you are able to fulfill your destiny. Since in order to do that you need to become a demon, you'll live forever. If we had formed any sort of contract, we'd never be able to end it because we'd always be watching over you. It was best to just help each other in the way we have been."

I nodded. I was technically supposed to live forever, meaning they would feel the need to protect me forever. It made sense in a way. Even still, whether or not I went through with my destiny was still my decision to make.

Lisa then seemed to laugh at a memory. "And even though I did my best to keep my distance from you, Sebastian was still able to find me."

I glanced at him. "Really? You never said anything."

Sebastian finally turned to face me and smiled softly. "At first I couldn't tell if she was only passing by or not. I felt no need to tell you if she wasn't a threat. Once I confronted her and learned of what she was doing, I let her be."

"But why would you trust her when you seemed so sure I wasn't the girl from the prophecy thing?"

"She was adamant about protecting you. There was no harm in an extra set of eyes."

"So that was why you decided to leave with the others yesterday. Because you knew her and could trust her." Saying the words aloud made me feel a lot better about Sebastian knowingly leaving me home with a demon, and his nod to my statement helped, too.

Sebastian then glanced down at the bag in front of me, then opened it and pulled out its contents. He removed a hamburger, some fries, and a few packs of ketchup, as well as a napkin. "You should eat before it gets too cold," he said.

I looked down at the food and nodded. I needed to be ready to fight at any moment, and to do that, I had to eat.

Just then, a thought hit me, and I lowered my burger to the table and looked back up at Sebastian. "Where are my swords? We didn't bring them, did we?"

Sebastian shook his head and gave me a small, amused smile. "They are still back at your house, Chrystal. But really, did you think you could just bring them into a police station?"

I felt my cheeks heat up slightly as I looked away. "Of course not, I just don't know how I'm supposed to be able to defend myself if I don't have them with me."

"As soon as you are moved to a more secure and private location, I will retrieve them for you."

I nodded, knowing that was all I could hope for at this point.

I ate silently as Lisa and James sat and talked about what their plan was. I tried to listen, but my thoughts kept running back to my situation, my family, and the new information I had just been told. Lisa really was my guardian angel, as funny as it sounded.

Eventually, James stood. "I need to get back to work and check on the preparations for moving you. I'll be back soon, hopefully."

I smiled at him and nodded, then he turned and opened the door to leave. But something stopped him.

"You are not permitted to enter this room. Please back away," James said, a scary calmness to his voice.

Though I couldn't see who was there, the voice that responded clearly belonged to an upset female. "No, James. You and Lisa have had your fun. It's my turn with her."

My body tensed and Sebastian stood from his seat.

A moment later, the woman sent James flying back into the room, where he crashed into the table as I screamed. Sebastian grabbed me and pulled me back.

The woman finally entered my vision. She looked similar to Lisa. Her hair was black and long, but was flowing freely while Lisa kept her's in a neat ponytail. She wore what appeared to be a police uniform, and her eyes were red and cold.

She stared at me for a long moment before her eyes brightened, and I felt my heart begin to melt and long for her.

She smiled so sadistically that even in my trance I shuddered in fear. Her voice was just as menacing, "You're going to be mine, princess."


	35. Chapter 35

Sebastian's hand covered my eyes mere seconds later, and I felt the spell break as I snapped back to reality. Just how many demons had this stupid power?!

Sebastian moved to the back of the room, never releasing his hold on me or the hand that covered my eyes and protected me from the demon's spell. I heard James groan as he stood, and what sounded like Lisa attacking the intruder.

"Get off of me!" the demon screamed.

"You cannot have her, now stop this!" Lisa yelled back.

The woman screamed again, her voice straining as if she was pushing as hard as she could against Lisa. However, it didn't sound like she was doing much good.

A moment later, I felt a gentle touch on my shoulder. I jumped, only to hear James's voice in my ear. "It's alright."

I relaxed as Sebastian silently passed me off and went to go help Lisa. I didn't open my eyes, scared that I would be taken over again if I did.

After a few moments of fighting, there was silence. James released me, but I waited for Sebastian's reassuring touch before I finally let my eyes flutter open.

He stood before me, smiling down at me. I leaned forward and wrapped my arms around him, and he held me tightly and protectively.

"Take her to the boss and have her dealt with," I heard James command from behind me. A moment later, the door closed.

"We may not be able to do much, but at the very least her job will be terminated. One less to deal with."

I nodded, pulling back from Sebastian to face James. "I'm sorry I'm causing all of you so much trouble, but thank you for protecting me anyway."

James waved off my apology. "Don't worry about it. It's our job to help people. You just happen to be in a very interesting position right now."

I looked down at the floor.

There was an awkward moment between us before James spoke again. "I need to go see how our preparations are going. Lisa should be back in just a moment. Until then, I believe your butler should be more than enough to keep you safe."

I nodded, unconsciously tightening my arms around Sebastian.

James nodded back, then glanced from me to Sebastian before leaving the room and locking the door behind him.

Sebastian and I stood there a moment longer, holding each other, before he pulled away and led me back to the chairs. We sat side by side, and I leaned my head on his arm, trying to sort my thoughts.

A female demon had attacked me. That was new.

She said I was going to be her's. Was that something the demon world approved of? I didn't see any reason why they wouldn't. It just hadn't crossed my mind.

I sighed. It was over. She had been taken care of. I didn't need to worry anymore until I had a reason to. Besides, Sebastian was with me. I was safe.

*

I didn't remember falling asleep, but the next thing I knew, I was being roused from a restless nap by Sebastian.

As I sat up, the first thing I noticed was at some point he had wrapped his arm around me. He didn't move it as I looked up to see what was going on.

James and Lisa were once again in the room. Lisa had retaken her seat by the door, and James was standing on the other side of the table, looking at me with an expression that I couldn't quite read.

"I'm sorry," I apologized as I sat up. "I didn't mean to-"

"Don't worry about it. It's not like we really gave you anything else to do to pass the time." As James answered, his expression finally lifted into what I could tell was a small smile. I smiled back.

"I came by to tell you the preparations are complete and we'll be ready to transport you in about ten minutes."

I nodded. I was more than ready to be out of this place. As safe as a police station was supposed to be, I felt anything but safety as I sat and awaited my fate.

"Alright. I have to go back and help. Lisa will escort you out when the time comes." With that, he left.

Once the door was once again closed and locked, Lisa turned to me. "While the woman who came in here today has been taken care of, we still need to be on our guard as we leave the building. The other demons have known you were here all day, and might lose their resolve to stay away if they see you. For this reason, when we walk out that door, I want Sebastian to be carrying you, and your eyes sealed shut. I don't know how many of them have that crazy ability, but we aren't going to take any more chances."

I nodded and felt Sebastian's arm around me tighten. Was he worried about the situation or was he confident in what he had to do? I wasn't sure what thoughts and emotions were going through his mind, but I knew all three of us had the same goal for the next few minutes. We all had to get me to safety.

"Also, James and I shall be your only escorts to your new residence, as the chief isn't sure who he can trust out of everyone else. I'm sure you would feel more comfortable with only the two of us, anyway."

I felt myself nod, relieved. James and Lisa were the only two workers here I trusted anyway. I wasn't sure I would have even gotten into the car with anyone else, even with Sebastian right beside me.

Lisa was quiet for a moment, seemingly thinking about something. When she spoke next, she said, "Well, I believe that's everything... Oh! Your new home is about an hour drive from here. We want to make sure you are as far away from the city as we can. You'll be located in a small suburban neighborhood, so you won't be completely isolated. I have also been given permission to reside in an empty home nearby in case anything should happen. James, unfortunately, has duties and obligations he must attend to here in town. Do you have any questions?"

I shook my head. "Thank you, Lisa. I'll feel a lot safer knowing you're nearby."

She smiled. "I couldn't very well leave my future queen with only one demon to protect her from hundreds. Even if Evan decides to reappear, I'm not sure how much good he'll do..."

I smiled. Evan may not have been the brightest of the three demons I knew, but knowing he was on my side as well made me feel better about my situation. The four of us could do this. I knew we could.

"Well, it's time," Lisa announced, looking at a clock on the wall. "I'll take your bags. Remember. Do not open your eyes for any reason until we are in the car and away from this place."

I nodded and closed my eyes as Lisa bent over to pick up my purple suitcase. I grabbed my purse from beside me and felt Sebastian stand and lift me into his arms. I hid my face in his shoulder as an extra precaution.

As we walked through the building, I could feel the stares. All eyes seemed to be on me. I tightly gripped Sebastian's shirt, and he held me tightly in return.

As we finally exited the building and made it to the car, the eyes I sensed staring daggers into me did not diminish. In fact, they grew. Lisa and Sebastian seemed to sense this as well, because our speed increased as they ran toward the car. We stopped long enough for Lisa to open the door and Sebastian to place me in my seat. I felt him fasten my seat belt around me as Lisa's door closed and James sped off into the evening toward the place where I was going to live for the foreseeable future.

This was going to be one long car ride. 


	36. Chapter 36

I didn't open my eyes again for a while. Even with Sebastian holding me close as my body trembled in fear, I couldn't bring myself to do so. So much had happened in the past several hours. I could barely process any of it.

Lisa turned and tried to talk to me several times, but I wasn't able to answer. Why was I so frightened now? I was away from the police station and away from all of the demons who had been staring at me. Why was I more scared here than there?

Then it dawned on me. I was in a car.

A few hours ago, Lisa had told me the truth about the "accident" that had taken my parents' lives. We had been struck by a car full of demons who had been trying to kill me. What if it happened again? At the thought, I curled up against Sebastian even more.

Sebastian held me tighter to him in response. As if he knew what I was thinking, he spoke up, "Lisa, keep your eyes peeled. Watch for any suspicious vehicles."

"Right," was her answer.

I felt myself relax slightly, knowing everyone was aware of the stakes. I continued to stare into the darkness in my closed eyes. My tight grip on Sebastian loosened and my breathing slowed. I felt as if I was on the verge of sleep when images began to form in my mind. I saw the four of us, still in the police car, and a silver minivan driving full speed out of a driveway. I watched as it collided with the car, then drove off unscathed.

"A van..." I mumbled, still feeling the pull of sleep.

"What?" I heard Lisa ask.

"A van..." I mumbled again, trying to stir myself.

"Chrystal, are you-"

I finally managed to jerk myself awake. "A van! Stop!!"

James slammed on the brakes and Sebastian held me as we were all jerked around. A moment later, a silver minivan came flying out of a driveway right in front of the car, and disappeared after it didn't make contact with the car.

After the shock of the moment passed, I felt all eyes on me. After a brief second, I closed my own and leaned against Sebastian, failing at trying not to cry.

"How did she-" James started.

"It's the gift," Lisa answered in awe.

"What?"

"If anyone was doubting she was the heir, there's no denying it now. Only the true heir has the power to see the future."

Sebastian's arms around me tightened once again.

"Sebastian, clearly the car isn't safe for her. I'll give you the address, and you can take her there by foot. We'll meet you soon."

I looked up at her then. "But if I can-"

"No, your powers are still developing. We're lucky you saw that car, but there's no guarantee you'll see every obstacle in our path. You'll be safer this way. I promise we will get there soon."

The sincerity in her voice and eyes made me nod my head. She and James would meet us.

Lisa described the building and where it was to Sebastian as I unbuckled and grabbed my purse. I glanced up to see James staring at me through the rear view mirror. He looked away a moment later. _Maybe he was the one who was hoping all of this destiny stuff was nonsense. If Lisa's right..._

Sebastian opened the car door and pulled me from my thoughts. He got out and offered my his hand with a warm and reassuring smile. I smiled back and let him help me out of the car. He then lifted me into his arms and I clung to my small bag as he ran toward the address he'd been given at full speed. I didn't even have the chance to look back and say goodbye. But I knew I would see James and Lisa again, so I grabbed the black rose from my hair and closed my eyes to shield them from the wind and waited patiently for us to reach our destination.

*

Sebastian slowed to a walk maybe five minutes later, and I opened my eyes to see where we were. Before us was a small community. It was made up of about ten houses, and was in the middle of nowhere.

Sebastian sat me on the ground at my request. I put the rose back in my hair as we walked hand in hand toward the houses.

As we were walking to the one Lisa had described, I heard a female voice call out to us from one of the porches to our left. I turned to see a middle aged blonde woman smiling kindly and waving. She ran down the steps to us, and I couldn't help taking a cautious step back.

"Oh, I'm sorry if I frightened you, dear. I mean you no harm. This is a safe place."

I didn't answer. She looked kind enough, but I wasn't going to take any chances.

Sebastian then squeezed my hand, and I looked up at him. He was smiling. I took that as him trying to tell me she wasn't a demon, so she was no real threat to me. I felt myself relax and I released Sebastian to extend my hand to her in greeting.

"I'm sorry. It's been a scary few days. My name is Chrystal."

The woman's eyes lit up as she shook my hand. "It's good to meet you, Chrystal. I'm Megan."

I nodded. "And this is Sebastian," I said, gesturing to him. He gave a small bow.

"It's a pleasure," she smiled. "Well, seeing you're here with nothing but the clothes on your backs, am I safe to assume you are here as victims under police protection as well?"

I gave her a hesitant nod. I didn't like the word 'victim', but it was a pretty accurate one for my situation, I thought.

"If that's the case, do you know where you're staying? Sometimes they have people share homes so they can watch out for one another, but since there's two of you..."

"Is everyone here under protection?" I asked curiously.

Megan smiled again. "Everyone but the police officers. They all stay in that house over there." She pointed to one that was slightly larger than the others and had daisies growing in pots on the lawn. "There's not many of them, but they can defend us in an emergency."

That was good to hear. I glanced up to Sebastian again, and he was looking at me, reassuring me that there were no threats that he could sense.

"So," Megan continued, "if you don't know where you're staying, you can come inside with me until someone comes to settle you in."

"Actually, we do know. Right?" I asked, directing my question to Sebastian. He nodded.

"Second to last house on the right side of the road, I was told." He then proceeded to point at a small wooden house with a rose bush growing beside the steps.

Once I looked back from the house to Megan, I saw that she had lost all the color in her cheeks. "Megan? Are you alright?"

She shook her head violently, then her smile returned. "Yes, dear. Sorry about that. I just didn't realize you were the girl I was told about."

I felt myself tense again. "Who told you about me?"

She looked worried when she saw my reaction. "Lisa, dear. She called and asked me to keep an eye out for a young lady and servant who would be traveling on foot, and to make sure you were welcomed and weren't followed. And seeing as we've been talking all this time and no one has jumped out to kill us, I'd say we're just fine." She smiled warmly at me, and even though her response to my question wasn't very reassuring, my body relaxed knowing Lisa had been looking out for us.

"Thank you for the offer to stay at your home, but I think we're both very tired after the long trek. We're going to go put our things away and rest while we wait for Lisa and James. It was lovely to meet you, though."

"Of course, dear. How selfish of me to try and keep you. Rest up."

I waved to her, then turned around to walk to the house Sebastian had indicated. I took his hand and held it tightly. No matter how safe this place seemed, I would not be able to relax until I knew nothing was going to happen. And I wasn't going to feel that relief until Sebastian had searched every inch of this small community and I had my swords back at my side. 


	37. Chapter 37

Surprisingly, the door was unlocked when we made it to the house. I looked around the small foyer and was immediately uncomfortable. Even as Sebastian found the light switch and the room brightened, something still felt off about the place.

The house looked normal enough. It was obviously a downgrade from what I was used to, but I wasn't complaining. I found the small size of the house comforting. There were less places for people to hide.

"A quaint little place, wouldn't you agree?" Sebastian asked, breaking the silence and closing the door.

I nodded. "Very."

We walked further into the house and found what appeared to be a living room. That was when I realized one of the things that had been bothering me.

"This house has no decorations..." I thought aloud.

Sebastian nodded. "Seeing as how people come and go from these places, I wouldn't think the police would take the time to decorate them. I suppose we will have to do so ourselves for the duration of our stay."

There was very little furniture, either. The living room consisted of two small couches and a dusty bookshelf. The only things on it were religious books and a piece of paper with the phone numbers of each of the ten houses in the area.

I tentatively perched myself on one of the couches and stared at the floor, deep in thought and still feeling uneasy.

Sebastian noticed right away, but knew his job. He left the room and came back a few minutes later. "The house is safe, and it appears the bedrooms were cleaned before our arrival, which makes things easier." He told me all of this, knowing that I would open up to him only if I knew I was safe. He then proceeded to ask, "What is it?"

"I'm just really confused. Something like this is not how the police are supposed to handle things. They're just sending us away to the middle of nowhere? This doesn't feel right anymore. Yes, it wasn't safe to keep living at home, but this feels wrong too. It's like I've just been shipped off to a refugee camp and I don't approve."

"But you aren't a refugee. You haven't been forced to flee the country. You are merely being protected."

"I know, but something about this system makes me feel uneasy. We're miles away from any kind of civilization. What happens if there's some huge emergency that a handful of cops can't handle?"

"That is what I am here for," Sebastian answered, stepping toward me. "I swear to you, I will keep you safe."

I nodded.

"I am going to go back and retrieve your swords like we had discussed. Would you like for me to tell Evan where we are while I am there?"

"Yeah, I guess so." He'd made it pretty clear that he was trying to help me when he saved my life. It would help him to do that if he knew where I was. "What should I do?"

"I'd recommend staying inside. There's a master bedroom just up the stairs, if you would like to rest."

I nodded again.

Sebastian bowed. "I will be back shortly." And then he was gone.

As fast as he had left, the dread of being alone in an unfamiliar place set in. I decided to take his advice and rest upstairs. He wouldn't be gone long.

I found the bedroom and noticed that Sebastian had been correct. This was definitely the cleanest room in the house. I hoped that hadn't meant something bad had happened in this room and they had simply kept it clean because we would need it. I sank onto the large queen size bed and lay myself on the white cotton sheets. I kicked off my shoes and removed my gloves, then curled up on the soft fabric.

I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep knowing I was alone, but at least I could rest my body for a while. I wanted to close my eyes and pretend I was home, in my own bed, surrounded by familiar walls, but I couldn't. I needed to stay alert. Being hidden away from the rest of the world didn't mean I was safe, especially when dealing with the supernatural.

I lay there staring at the white wall for a while, searching for all the places the paint was chipping. I'd counted seven so far. Clearly these buildings were either well used or poorly cared for. Perhaps even both.

About an hour had passed when I heard knocking on the front door. My heart rate increased, and I could feel all of my nerves coming back. Who was at the door? Sebastian would just let himself in, and it hadn't been long enough for Lisa and James to be here, had it?

Then I remembered Lisa saying I was only about an hour's drive from the city. If anything, they should have been here sooner. But if it was them, what would I tell them about Sebastian not being here?

I slowly stood, my heart racing. I had to check. If it was another demon who had somehow followed us, I had to call for Sebastian. _But he's been gone for an hour. Shouldn't he be back by now?_

I left the bedroom and slowly descended the stairs. The wood was cold to my bare feet, but I ignored the chill. A greater one was going down my spine at the thought of who I would see beyond the door.

I made it to the foyer and stood in front of the door. I took one last deep breath, then stood on my toes to look through the peephole.

I let out a loud sigh of relief when I saw James. My tense body relaxed as I unlocked the door and opened it. There before me stood James and Lisa, both smiling to see me.

"Glad to see you made it alright. We got stuck in a huge traffic jam shortly after you all left." James' smile fell. "Why did you answer the door? Where's your butler?"

"I don't know," I answered, beginning to worry for him. "He said he was going home to get my swords and would be right back."

"Have you tried calling for him?" Lisa asked.

I shook my head. "If he's busy with something, I don't want to distract him. I'm just worried he was being followed and had to stop to fight."

"I wouldn't worry too much. He's still under an oath to always return to you. He won't let himself get killed."

I smiled at her, believing her words. Our contract meant that he would always return to me. He would be back soon.

"Oh, I nearly forgot. Here are your belongings," Lisa said, offering me my purple suitcase.

I thanked her and took it, setting it on the floor by a dusty coat rack.

We stood there awkwardly at the door for a moment, then I jumped back, realization hitting me that I was probably supposed to invite them in. "I'm sorry. Please, come in."

They both gave me a kind smile before coming into the house. I began to close the door, but something pushed forward from the other side, making my whole body freeze.

The person outside pushed forward until I could see who it was, then my frozen body melted.

It was Sebastian, and beside him was Evan.


	38. Chapter 38

I couldn't control myself. At the sight of Sebastian, I ran through the open door and latched onto him. He hugged me back.

"You're late," I whispered.

He chuckled. "I apologize. I ran into a bit of trouble."

I pulled away slightly to look at him. "What kind of trouble? Are you alright?"

Sebastian smiled. "Yes, My Love. I'm alright. You do not need to worry. Everything is fine."

He was hiding something from me. I could tell by the way he avoided my first question. But even so, I knew it was probably for my own sake, and I let myself be content with his answer and hug him again.

He held me for a moment before pulling away. "As I promised, here you are, Chrystal." He held out his hand. He held my swords.

I took them from him and looked at them. Holding them again brought me a sense of peace. They were familiar in this new place, and they had kept me safe for years. I knew nothing would happen to me so long as I had them and Sebastian with me.

"I hate to break up your little reunion, but you really shouldn't stay outside for too long. As far as this place is away from the city, it isn't hidden from the sky. We don't want anyone to somehow be able to spot you from the air." Lisa paused, glanced to James, and then back to me before continuing. "Of course, given who our enemy is, I wouldn't put the ability past them."

I nodded, then walked back inside, Sebastian and Evan right behind me. After the door was closed and locked, I turned to the group. "We can all talk in the living room. There should be enough space for us all."

Everyone nodded and made their way into the small room. I sat on one of the couches and Sebastian sat to my left. Lisa and James sat on the other, and Evan stood by the bookshelf, looking over the contents. During this time, I never released my swords. Their presence brought me more comfort than I had realized.

We sat in silence for a moment, looking to each other, trying to figure out what we should discuss first. I soon noticed that James's eyes had landed on me, but he wasn't meeting my eyes. I followed his gaze and saw he was staring at the pentagram on my left wrist. My grip on my swords tightened as I turned my arm so the mark was out of sight. "If it bothers you-"

I was going to offer to cover it up, but was interrupted by Lisa nudging James and Sebastian taking my hand and laying our clasped hands between us, my wrist up in the air, the mark visible to everyone. I glanced up at him, and he gave my hand a reassuring squeeze, his stare never leaving James. I immediately understood. Sebastian wasn't going to let anyone make me uncomfortable with the mark we shared. It would bind us together for eternity. It was nothing for me to fear or hide. Not anymore.

"Sorry," James mumbled. Lisa nudged him again. "I'm still getting used to all of this. I shouldn't have let myself get distracted." He then smiled at me, seemingly a little embarrassed that he had done what he did.

I relaxed and nodded, accepting his apology. Sebastian didn't move his hand, though, which I didn't mind. I leaned my head on his shoulder.

Evan spoke then, staring at James. "I'd get used to your situation pretty quickly, man. You're the only one in this room who isn't one of us."

James lowered his head.

Lisa cleared her throat, clearly wanting to change the topic. "So what do you think of the place? I know it's nothing like your manor, but it's all we have. We can't make the houses too big or they may draw unwanted attention."

I sat up a little. "No, the house is fine. I feel safer being in a smaller space. My only concern is how you keep this place so secluded and secretive. I know you said you don't like planes flying over, but surely people have seen it from the sky. How do you keep this little place that looks like a ghost town from becoming a tourist trap?"

Lisa gave me a small smile. "You must not have been paying attention to your trip over here. This place is fenced off and guarded. To get through the gates you have to have a specific form of police or military ID. Of course, I'm assuming Sebastian just jumped."

Lisa was right. I hadn't paid any attention to our trip over. I'd closed my eyes to shield them from the wind and waited for Sebastian to stop running. I didn't remember feeling him jump, but my mind had been occupied with other things besides how fast Sebastian had been moving.

"We also have special units who watch over every aircraft that comes nearby to make sure they aren't coming through to drop anyone off," James added. "The safety of our guests is our top priority."

'Guests' was definitely one way to describe us.

"So how many people are in this little sanctuary, anyway?" I asked.

"Including the both of you, there are five people taking refuge here," Lisa answered. "I'm assuming you've already met Megan, since I asked her to keep an eye out for you. The other two I've been told you are already acquainted with."

"Really?" I asked, then stopped for a second as my brain went back to several days ago when a woman and her daughter came to me for help. I gasped. "Jennifer? And Lily?"

Lisa smiled and nodded. "They have both been very anxious ever since they arrived. They won't stop asking James or I what is going on with you. Of course, we didn't tell them anything other than that you were alive. But that woman has been worried sick about you."

I nodded. The last time I saw her, she'd been ordered to kill me. She had probably spent the last few days wondering if the person who sent the order had ever come for me. I knew that pain and fear all too well.

At that thought, my mind slowed and emptied, then was filled with images I had never seen before. I was clearly in this little town, but something wasn't right. Someone was lurking by the flowers outside one of the unoccupied buildings, and the police were making sure everyone stayed in their homes. Sebastian and Lisa went to speak with him while James and Evan stayed with me, then-

I heard my swords fall to the floor.

"Hey, are you okay?"

I blinked. My head was once again laying on Sebastian's shoulder, and his grip on my hand had tightened. His free hand was on my cheek, holding me to him. Lisa, James, and Evan were staring at me worriedly.

I tried to speak, but I found no words. I just sat there, feeling fatigue wash over me.

"She had another vision," Lisa informed everyone.

I could only nod in response.

"Vision?" Evan asked, stunned.

"If that's all it was, then why is she suddenly about to pass out?" James asked, still worried.

"Because it is a demon's ability, James. She is still a human. It's going to take a toll on her every time it happens. Now why don't you run along and distribute the week's food rations to the others? Take Evan, he can help. I'll make sure she's taken care of."

James was quiet for a long moment, before he eventually sighed and nodded, then stood and left the house, Evan following close behind.

Lisa turned back to me. "What did you see? I need to know before you forget it."

"A man..." I managed to whisper.

"Did you see what he looked like?"

I shook my head.

Lisa sighed. "Alright. We'll keep our eyes out for anyone." She turned to Sebastian. "You should take her on up to bed. I'll bring you her rations and lock to door myself. Stay with her tonight in case she sees anything else."

Sebastian smiled. "I will never leave her side."

Lisa nodded and stood. I tried to watch her leave, but I couldn't keep my eyes open anymore. Sebastian lifted me and started to make his way up the stairs, but I fell asleep before my body ever hit the mattress. 


	39. Chapter 39

When I awoke again, the room was dark. My body tensed as my mind began to race, thinking of what all could be hiding in the darkness, but it didn't last long. I felt familiar arms wrap around my body, and I turned and hid in Sebastian's embrace.

"Everything is alright, My Love. You are perfectly safe."

I nodded, but clung to him tighter.

"What's troubling you?"

I fought my exhaustion as I moved my head to look at him. I found his eyes, which were glowing ever so slightly in the darkness, and stared. "I didn't want all of this. I didn't want to leave my family. I didn't want any powers. I..." I couldn't speak anymore, but I couldn't tell if it was because I was on the verge of tears or because I was drained of all energy.

Sebastian held me closer. "I know. Fate is cruel."

I nodded. "I just wanted to spend the rest of my life with you..." I whispered.

His eyes shone a bit brighter as he smiled at me. A moment later, his lips met mine, and he kissed me lovingly for a long moment until I had to pull away to breathe.

"I understand your life isn't playing out the way you had imagined," he began as I tried to catch my breath, "but look at it this way. Instead of simply spending the rest of your life together, we can have both of our eternities."

"Only... if..." I tried.

"Yes, My Love. Only if you choose that path. No one is going to force it on you. I won't let them."

I smiled, and he leaned down and kissed me again, this one harder than the last, as if he was trying to reaffirm his words. Yet, he was the one to pull away this time.

He nuzzled my head. "Yes, you will live the life you choose, and I will stay by your side for every moment of it." He then shifted his hold on me so we could both lay comfortably. "Now get some rest. You've had an exhausting day."

I nodded, then lay my head on his chest. He wrapped his arms around me, and I fell asleep in his warm and safe embrace.

*

When I woke up again, I immediately noticed the lack of warmth around me, and my fear began to creep back into me like it had last night.

I sat up quickly and shook my head, trying to clear it of intrusive thoughts. No, I had to be stronger than this. I was fighting for me. I was fighting for my future. I wasn't going to let anyone take it from me.

I got out of bed and quickly found my small suitcase. I changed into a t-shirt and some jeans, then made my way downstairs. That had to be where everyone was. They wouldn't leave me in this house alone. Even if Sebastian was gone, someone would still be here.

As I made my way through the house, I was suddenly struck with a familiar aroma that immediately eased all of my worries. I turned the corner, and found myself in the kitchen.

Sebastian turned as I entered and smiled lovingly at me. "Good morning, Chrystal. You are just in time for breakfast."

I sat at the nearby table and noticed that the house had finally been thoroughly cleaned. "Did you clean this morning, too?"

Sebastian approached and placed a plate of eggs, bacon, and toast before me, along with a fork and napkin. "I stayed with you until well after dawn, then decided to come down and make you something to eat. With a little help from Evan, we got the place looking livable for you."

"I appreciate it, thank you," I said as he turned and began to pour me a glass of juice.

"There's no need for that." He placed the glass beside my plate. "I couldn't very well let you live in the conditions this place was in. What kind of butler would I be?"

I smiled, then ate in a comfortable silence as he cleaned the dishes.

As I finished my food and the tabled was cleared, Sebastian sat in a chair and faced me. He took my hand in his and watched me. I tilted my head slightly in confusion.

"Chrystal, I need you to tell me everything you can remember about the vision you had last night. I know you do not wish to speak of it, but Lisa and I need to know what is going to happen so we can better protect you."

I swallowed hard, and his hold on my hand tightened, like he was trying to calm and reassure me. I hesitated, not wanting to acknowledge the power I had, but soon gave in and nodded.

"I really didn't see much. I saw this little town, and there was a man hanging around one of the houses." I closed my eyes, trying to see the images better, but they were fading. "I don't know what he looks like, or when he's coming. All I know is that he isn't supposed to be here. The police were making sure everyone stayed in their homes, and-" I gasped suddenly. The vision was returning, clear as day, and I watched in horror as Sebastian and Lisa approached the strange man while James and Evan stayed behind to guard me.

"What is it?" Sebastian asked, pulling me back to the present. I looked down at our hands and realized my once free one was now clinging to him. My body was shaking, and I couldn't tell why. I hadn't seen anything scary, so why was I so afraid?

"I saw you and Lisa going to speak with him..." I cried softly. "I didn't see anything after that, but I have the worst feeling something terrible is going to happen..."

Sebastian leaned forward in his chair and held me to him as I sobbed. I hated this feeling of helplessness I had. I could see into the future, but I couldn't watch long enough to see the important details. All I could do was warn them and try to keep myself safe.

I cried for a long time. Long enough for my tears to stop and my eyes to burn, but I continued to sob even so. I couldn't calm myself. There was nothing I could do, and Sebastian just continued to hold me close.

I started at the sudden feeling of a comforting hand placed atop my head. It was smoothing my hair and trying to help calm me. It was only when I felt my mind cloud over that I was finally able to stop crying and breathe.

"That's better," I heard Lisa's soft voice say as the hand pet my head again. I relaxed knowing it belonged to her.

I sat up slightly, now completely relaxed, but Sebastian's hands on my arms tightened. "Evan..." he warned.

"If you want her to go back to having a panic attack, then I'll release her, but I doubt any of us want to let her go through that."

"For once, Evan's right," Lisa commented. "She isn't stable right now. His hold on her is for her own good."

Sebastian frowned and looked back to me, and I felt myself stare blankly back at him. Even with my mind void of all thoughts, my heart ached at his sadness.

Lisa spoke up again. "We need to keep her calm until the threat has passed. Judging off of past rulers, when their gift first appeared, they could only see into the near future, pretty much within the same 24 hours. Evan is going to stay here with you both while James and I tell the other officers about what is going to happen. We will both return to you once everything is in order."

I saw Sebastian nod, and heard the front door open and close as Lisa left to do her job. 


	40. Chapter 40

Once Lisa was gone, Sebastian turned to Evan. "At least release her enough to let her think and speak for herself."

"Letting her think was what brought this on in the first place."

"No, her vision did. Her thoughts had nothing to do with it. I understand this is for her benefit, but I also know your power can keep her calm while still allowing her to think."

I heard Evan sigh, and soon the cloud over my mind vanished, and I was left feeling warm and calm. I could control my body again, and I could let myself lean back into Sebastian's arms. He sighed in relief.

"How is Lisa going to tell the other officers what is going to happen if she can't tell them about everything happening with us? I'm assuming all of those cops are humans, so she can't very well tell them that a human with demon powers saw it happening."

Evan answered me. "I presume she will simply tell them someone tipped her off. I don't think she'll have to go into too much detail. Besides, Lisa has some powers of her own. Your secret is safe, don't worry about that."

I nodded. "And how long exactly do you have to keep me like this?"

He sighed. "At least until the threat has passed, which means I'll be sticking around for the day. I have to be able to tell if I need to cloud you again."

"I don't understand why I was freaking out in the first place. I didn't see anything bad." I turned to Sebastian. "I just had this horrible feeling of foreboding when I saw you and Lisa start walking toward that man." I looked at him pleadingly, my fear starting to crawl back in. "You can't." My grip tightened on his arms. "Don't go with Lisa. Promise me."

Before I got an answer, I felt myself relax as my mind cleared once again. Our conversation vanished from my mind, and I did nothing as Sebastian frowned and hugged me closer.

He sighed in resignation. "As you wish, My Love."

*

By the time Lisa and James arrived, it was well into the afternoon. Evan did not lessen his hold on me except for at lunch so I was able to feed myself. He wasn't going to let me think, despite Sebastian's efforts to reason with him.

"Sorry for taking so long. How was everything?" Lisa asked as she stepped into the living room. I was seated with Sebastian on one of the couches, while Evan was leaning against the wall on the opposite side of the room.

"She almost broke out of it once. I had to strengthen it," Evan said without looking up.

Lisa gazed at me and my blank state. "I see."

James looked at me with confusion before turning to Lisa. "So her vision from last night was of a man? How are we sure this person is a threat and not just another officer?"

Sebastian answered. "She said the police were making sure everyone stayed away from him."

"Well now we are. There's at least one of us in each house, whether it has people living in it or not."

"Let's calm down for a second," Lisa interrupted before anyone else could speak. "Chrystal's visions are of things that will happen if we do not intervene. Everyone would have been guarded anyway." She turned to me then, but her voice was still directed toward the men around us. "She's very vulnerable right now. In this state, she cannot defend herself. All of you need to remember that.

"Now, when this man gets here, Evan and James will stay with Chrystal and keep her safe. Sebastian and I will go confront this individual and see why they are here. I'm sure we all have the same assumptions, but we have to be sure before we can take any sort of action against him."

Even with the lack of control over my body, at Lisa's orders, I felt my grip around Sebastian's arm tighten.

Sebastian held me closer. "I am under orders to stay here with her."

Lisa sighed. "Alright. You and Evan will stay and James will come with me. It's probably best the police officers are the ones to confront him, anyway."

I felt my body relax at her words.

Once the plan was decided, we waited... and waited... and waited. Everyone around me was getting anxious. I could sense it, but I couldn't share their anxiety. I couldn't feel anything.

It was hours before James spoke up again. "It's been about five hours. I'm starting to think this vision was a dud or he's not coming for a few days."

A few moments later, the three demons in the room all poked their heads up. I felt my apprehension grow, despite the hold on me.

Lisa was the one to break the silence. "He's here."

Immediately, everyone sprang into action. Lisa and James made their way to the door, while Sebastian lifted me and took me upstairs to the bedroom. Evan stayed by the stairs.

Once the door to the bedroom was closed, I felt Evan's hold on my mind faltering. He was distracted and more concentrated on what was going on than keeping me calm. I understood, but I was not ready for all of my fear and anxiety to hit me at once. By the time Sebastian sat down on the bed, I was quaking in his arms once again, and it was taking all my willpower to keep from screaming in terror.

Sebastian kept his arms around me and held me close, and we both waited in silence for what was to come.


	41. Chapter 41

We waited in silence for several minutes, the only sound audible the breeze blowing against the old house. I had stopped quivering, the thoughts of what could happen to Lisa and James outside had petrified me.

After the minutes passed, I got the sudden urge to see what was happening. I jumped from Sebastian's protective hold and ran to the window, peeking out to the scene below. There, I saw my vision unfolding. Except instead of Sebastian, James was by Lisa's side.

The mysterious man was indeed lingering in the shadows of one of the unoccupied homes. Lisa seemed to be speaking with him, James slightly behind her.

He turned to face Lisa, and I was able to make out his features. He was pale, had dark eyes and raven black hair. I felt a tremor of fear when I realized that I had seen his face before. But where?

Sebastian appeared beside me. "Chrystal, get back. We can't let him see you."

I couldn't move. "I've seen him before," I practically mouthed, my voice so low I couldn't even hear it.

Sebastian caught on anyway. "Where?"

I spoke up a little. "I don't know, but I swear I've seen that face."

As I ended my sentence, the man looked up. He made eye contact with me and smirked.

I gasped and let Sebastian pull me away from the window. He held me tightly to him as he sat on the bed again.

As the silence returned, I dug through my memories and tried to remember where I had seen him before. I hadn't seen any of the demons when we had rescued my family a year ago. I had fought the humans outside until I was shot and James took me to safety. The only other demons I had come into contact with were Lisa, Evan, and the ones who had previously attacked me, but Sebastian had taken care of them.

I then thought of the demons who were secretly working at the police station. Had he been one of them? But I remembered his face too well for him to be someone I had glanced over. I had definitely seen that face before, and based on the terror I was feeling, I'd run from it before as well.

I was pulled from my thoughts by the sound of the front door opening and slamming against the wall. I would have screamed if Sebastian hadn't covered my mouth.

Then I heard the commotion down the stairs. Evan and the demon must have been fighting. The calming feeling had disappeared completely.

I tried to stand. My body was weak from fear, and I knew I wasn't going to be able to escape Sebastian's grasp, but I weakly tried anyway.

"Chrystal?"

"I have to find my swords," I told him. "I have to help."

"No, you are in no condition to fight anyone."

I looked up at him. "But Evan will..."

"He'll be just fine," he reassured me.

I slowly stopped struggling and sighed out of resignation and relief. I knew I couldn't take the demon outside, but I also knew I didn't want to sit by and do nothing.

I closed my eyes, then, practically begging for a vision to come and show me what was going to be the outcome of all of this. Everyone needed to stay alive. In that moment, my mind began to slowly form pictures. I could see the demon. He was running toward me. In that moment-

My phone rang.

I jumped in Sebastian's arms as my eyes shot open. _No! Of all times, why now?!_

Sebastian's hold around me tightened, and a moment later, we were jumping out the window. Lisa and James were outside with a couple of other officers, but Sebastian didn't stop to chat. As soon as we hit the ground, he took off in a random direction. A moment later, the demon was chasing after us, and all I could do was stare as he slowly gained on us.

As he got closer, I could see his familiar smirk, and I watched as his fingers slowly morphed into claws. I gasped, finally realizing where I recognized him from.

"He's gonna leap forward..." I mumbled to myself.

Sebastian heard it, and his grip around me tightened as he nodded. Did he have a plan?

I turned my gaze from out pursuer and looked to him. His eyes remained ahead, but I could tell something was holding him back.

My nerves calmed, then, and I hugged him tightly. "I trust you."

He smiled and nodded. I turned my eyes back to the demon behind us in time to see him leaping at me, claws aimed at my face. I screamed, then a moment later, I was in the air.

I looked down in time to see Sebastian turn and send a kick into the face of the attacking demon. The man flew to the side and fell to the ground as I felt gravity begin to do its job. I started to scream again, then felt arms wrap around me and my safely landing on the ground.

The arms around me felt petite yet strong, and I knew before I ever looked up that Lisa had caught me. I tried to turn my head toward the fight, but she held my head in place.

"You don't need to see this. Trust me."

I nodded. "Lisa, I've seen him before."

"From where?" she asked, sounding more concerned than confused.

"I had a nightmare several days ago. He and a bunch of others found my house, killed my friends, and then they all chased after us as Sebastian tried to run away. He leaped out at me just like he did today."

"That must have been when your gift awakened for the first time. It wasn't a perfect seeing of the future, but you saw this event. Let's just hope it wasn't several visions jammed into one."

I froze as the image of Jasmine being killed ran through my mind again. _No,_ I told myself. _She is safely in Hawaii with everyone else._

"James and I thoroughly interrogated him before he saw you and ran toward the house," Lisa said, seemingly trying to change my thoughts. "He came alone, and no one knew he was coming here. As soon as the boys dispose of him, you'll be able to safely continue living here for the time being."

"How do you know he wasn't lying?" I asked.

Lisa looked down at me and smiled. "They have their talents, and I have mine."

I was going to nod to her, but my vision blurred and went dark, then brightened to an unfamiliar scene that was filled with very familiar faces.

Sarah and Jasmine were outside a large hotel, shouting at each other. I couldn't make out the entire conversation, but I heard my name, "going back", and "airport".

The vision faded as I watched Jasmine watch Sarah climb into the back of a car and leave, and Jasmine ran back into the hotel with tears trickling down her sorrowful face. 


	42. Chapter 42

My vision returned to normal and I saw Lisa still staring at the fight going on before her. She looked down at me a moment later and smiled. "Are you back?" she asked.

I nodded, struggling to get out of her grasp. It didn't work, and instead she tightened her hold. "Easy. If you just had a vision, you don't need to be trying to stand. What's wrong? What did you see?"

I looked up at her again. "Sarah," I answered slowly, trying not to let myself panic and waste what little strength I had left. "She's going to... come home..."

"Who is..." she started, then stopped herself. "Ah, one of your servants."

"Please, take me back," I pleaded. "I need to call them."

She looked from me to the fight which she still was preventing me from watching. Her eyes narrowed, then she nodded before hastily running back toward the town.

With Lisa distracted, I was able to peak behind us to see Sebastian block the demon from chasing after us. Evan was standing with him.

My fear returned seeing them standing there, and I made Lisa stop running as I watched Evan attack the other demon.

I gathered what strength I still had and prayed it would be enough. "Sebastian!" I called out to him.

He turned to face me, and his eyes grew in alarm when he noticed we weren't running away.

I held up my left hand, the seal of our contract facing him. "This is an order! Kill him and return to me safely!"

Even from our distance, I saw his eyes glow crimson for a moment, and he smiled at me. "Yes, Chrystal. I shall see to it."

I smiled back, and Lisa turned me away from the fight as she continued her dash toward the house.

When we made it back, I practically jumped from Lisa's arms and ran into the house. I made it to the stairs before I couldn't go on.

Lisa sighed as she lifted me up again and took me to my bedroom. Once she sat me on the bed, all I was able to do was point to my purse. She got it for me and handed it over.

I dug through until I found my cell phone. I pulled it out and felt my heart fall into my stomach at the sight of having several missed calls from Jasmine. I quickly called her back.

She answered on the first ring. "Oh my gosh, Chrystal? Is it you? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," I forced out. It was taking a lot for me to sit up and speak, but I had to make sure Sarah did not get on a plane and come home. "I'm sorry I didn't answer. I was a little preoccupied."

"With what?" she asked, and I could hear her fear. "What happened?"

I couldn't tell her. I didn't want to upset her anymore by letting her know I'd missed her calls because I was once again being attacked. I was safe. That was all she needed to know. "Don't worry about it. I'm fine."

I heard her sigh in relief. "Good. I'm sorry for calling. I was just really worried about you."

"Jasmine, I'm fine. I'm safe where I am. But I need you to listen to me very carefully."

There was a silence that I took as confirmation to continue.

"Don't let Sarah try to come home. I know her. I know she wants to, but you can't let her."

"She hasn't said anything about wanting to come home lately. What brought this on?" she asked.

Again, I couldn't tell her. She wouldn't believe me even if I did. I had to think up a quick lie. "I just know how she gets. She hasn't seen me for a few days and she's probably ready to come home and make sure I've eaten and taken care of myself." I paused for a moment, trying to put my sentences together before saying them aloud. "I'm sure there are enemies still lingering around the house. I'm not there anymore. No one is there to bring her here. I'm worried that if any of you try and go back home, you'll be taken hostage again, or worse."

There was silence for a long moment. So long, in fact, that I pulled my phone away from my ear to check the signal. As I put the phone back to my ear after confirming I had three bars, she finally spoke.

"I swear to you, Chrys. I will not let anyone return home. I love them almost as much as you do. They're all we both have left. Everyone is going to stay here until given the all clear, just as you told me."

I smiled. "Thank you, Jasmine."

"No problem," she responded, and I could hear the smile in her voice. "Stay safe. We love you."

"I love you all too," I said, then hung up the phone with a sigh.

"Everything taken care of?" Lisa asked.

I nodded weakly.

"Good," she said as she approached me. She put her hands on my shoulders and eased me back so I was laying down on the bed. "Now that that's out of the way, you need to rest. These visions probably aren't going to get any easier for you, and you will need your strength if you're going to keep your promise to your friends."

"What about-"

"Sebastian is under an order to return to you. He will do so as soon as he can. I will stay and watch over you until he gets back." She sat at the end of the bed and crossed her legs, smiling at me. "Everything is going to be just fine."

I nodded and closed my eyes. I knew I could trust Lisa. She'd been watching over me my whole life. She wouldn't just throw away 18 years of work.

With that thought, I let myself drift off into a peaceful sleep.


	43. Chapter 43

I awoke to a soft knock on the bedroom door, but my eyes remained closed. I listened as the door creaked open and then closed again.

"Welcome back," Lisa whispered.

There was a moment of silence, then I heard a familiar voice answer, "He's been taken care of. Evan is cleaning up."

I smiled into my pillow. _He's safe. Good..._

"She told me she'd seen that demon before. Apparently he was the one who attacked her in a dream." There was silence for a moment. Then, she continued. "Sebastian, her gift awoke days ago. Do you know what this means?"

"You're going to wake her."

There was a pause, and Lisa lowered her voice. "I'd be very careful of what she saw in that nightmare of hers. Who knows what all could come to pass?"

Sebastian didn't answer, seemingly done with the conversation.

"She had another vision." Lisa told him, changing the subject. "One of her servants was going to come back home. She called them and stopped it. Now she's resting from the toll it took on her." She paused, and I heard footsteps as someone moved across the room. "She may very well sleep through the night. She really pushed herself making sure her friends were safe. I'm not sure I've ever seen a human care so deeply for others."

The bed sank as Sebastian sat down beside me. I rolled over and rested my head against his leg. I felt his hand begin to pet my head softly.

Lisa's voice was beside me when she next spoke. "And she truly does love you." She covered me with a blanket. "She'll make a fine queen indeed."

With that, she made her way from the room, and once the door closed, Sebastian shifted to lay beside me. I snuggled up against him, and he wrapped an arm around me as I fell back to sleep.

*

When I awoke again, I was still wrapped in Sebastian's arms. I moved and tried to get comfy as I lay against him.

He chuckled softly. "Good morning, My Love."

"Good morning," I smiled back, refusing to open my eyes.

He held me closer. "Are you still tired?"

I shook my head. "Not really. I just want to stay like this a little longer..."

"As would I, but unfortunately it is nearly noon. You should be getting up." As he said this, he made no move to remove his hold on me.

I sighed. "Why? So I'll sleep tonight? Just hope I have another stupid vision. That'll knock me out."

I could hear the sadness in his voice as he spoke, "Yes, but we cannot rely on that. You really do need to be able to rest."

I begrudgingly nodded. I knew he was right. Besides, I didn't want to have another vision.

Before I could move to get up, my mind remembered his conversation with Lisa, and I grabbed his shirt as he tried to stand.

"What is it?" he asked, his concern outweighing his confusion at my sudden movement.

"You don't think the others are going to die, do you?" I whimpered.

His concern and confusion lasted a moment longer, then his face shifted to a sympathetic smile. "I'd thought you were awake."

I nodded.

He gently moved some stray hair out of my face. "I believe they would have been killed if you hadn't sent them away like you did. I do not believe they are going to be dragged into this as long as they stay where they are and the enemy doesn't find out."

I felt tears in my eyes, but I wasn't sure if they were of happiness from believing his words or the fear that the demons trying to kill me could find out where my friends are and hurt them.

Sebastian, sensing my anxiety, wiped my tears away with his thumb. "My duty is to make sure you never have to cry like this. If you have a vision of something happening to your friends, tell me. I will personally go and make sure no harm comes to them."

I felt myself calm at his promise, and I was able to nod and smile at him. He gave me a smile of his own, then kissed my forehead and stood. He held his hand out to me, and I accepted it as he helped me from the bed.

"I am going to head downstairs and begin preparing your lunch. Why don't you change clothes and have a bath? Relax for a little while."

I smiled and nodded to him again. A bath sounded perfect.

He returned my smile, then left the room.

I turned to my little suitcase and laid out some clothes, then made my way to the bathroom, ready to relax in a hot bath and clear my mind.

Once the tub was filled with hot water and my clothes were stripped away, I sank myself into the bath. I closed my eyes and breathed a content sigh, letting my body relax and my mind clear.

But as soon as it did, it went dark, and the same vision I had been seeing for days once again played. I watched as a large demon ran his whole arm through Jasmine's stomach. Her eyes lost their glow, and she slid off the demon's arm and fell lifeless to the ground. He brought his blood soaked arm to his face, sniffed it, and then licked it. Then, he began to turn toward me as the vision faded to black. 


	44. Chapter 44

When I came to, I was under the water. I clawed at the sides of the tub and managed to find enough strength to pull myself up. I coughed and gagged, trying to empty my lungs of water. A moment later, there was a knock on the door.

"Chrystal?" came Sebastian's voice. "What happened? Are you alright?"

I tried to answer, but all I managed was to cough up more water.

The bathroom door opened, and I hugged the side of the tub as I looked up to see Sebastian standing in the doorway. I opened my mouth to speak, but only proceeded to cough again, and sneeze at the feeling of water in my nose.

When my eyes opened again, Sebastian was knelt beside the tub, not bothering to hide his concern from me.

Before I could say anything, he grabbed a bottle of shampoo and began to wash my hair for me. I felt my cheeks heat up, but I let him continue, knowing I didn't have the strength to push him away or wash my hair on my own.

Once he was finished scrubbing my head, he stood and turned on the shower, knowing I wouldn't move away from the wall of the tub. He used the water that was falling to rinse my hair, then turned it off and drained the tub. Once it was empty, he wrapped a soft towel around me and carried me to the bedroom. I didn't even breathe until I was sat on the bed again.

"Thank you," I whispered after a moment.

He gave me a worried smile. "Another vision, I assume?" Sebastian asked softly.

I nodded.

"Can you tell me what you saw?"

I took a deep breath in, then quietly said, "Jasmine."

"What about Jasmine?" Sebastian pressed.

I felt my eyes water. "Someone killed her. A demon, I think. All I saw was a large man kill her without a second thought."

Sebastian was quiet.

"I didn't see where it happened, but it was very similar to my nightmare. The way she was killed was the same, but the person was different this time."

"If that's the case, I think she's safe for now. She just cannot return to your manor."

I stared at him for a moment before my brain slowly started to think. The nightmare had taken place at the mansion, and the only thing different about this vision was definitely the person.

"I do not know why, but your visions are clearly focusing on her. That must mean she is the only one of them in this type of danger. And because your visions seem to be taking place at your home, it seems the best way to keep her safe is to keep her from returning there until this whole mess is resolved."

I nodded, feeling my fist clench weakly around the towel.

"Well," Sebastian said after a moment, "lunch is ready, if you'd like to eat. Or if you feel you need to stay up here and rest, you can do that."

"I don't want to sleep. I'll come eat."

He smiled. "Can you get dressed on your own? I know you're very weak right now..."

I nodded. "I'll manage. Thanks."

Sebastian waved off my gratitude. "I'll wait outside and help you get downstairs." And with that, he left the room.

Once the door was closed, I slowly stood on shaking legs. I held onto the bed, trying to stay standing as I waited for the wobbling to stop. Once it did, I sighed in relief and removed the towel from around me, then turned to my clothes and got dressed. I dried my hair the best I could with the towel, then grabbed a hair tie out of my purse and pulled my hair back into a ponytail.

Once I was finished, I looked to the door that was across the room. I had been able to remain standing and dress myself. Surely I could make it the few steps to the door, then Sebastian would help me down the stairs.

I suddenly shook my head and punched the bed in annoyance. I hated this! I didn't want to live like this! I was strong. I was capable of defending myself. I knew how to fight. But I couldn't do anything but lay in bed because of these stupid visions. _I'm eighteen. I shouldn't be wondering if I can walk a few steps._

I felt tears burning my eyes, but I willed them away. I didn't want to cry. I couldn't change my life. I was beginning to believe I couldn't change anything.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm my mind. There was no use in getting upset or angry. It wasn't going to change the fact that I was able to see the future, or that every time I did so my energy drained from my body. I would go downstairs with Sebastian, eat lunch, and hopefully I would feel better and be able to take on the day.

With that, I took a step toward the bedroom door. Then another. And another.

I opened the door and saw Sebastian waiting for me, just as he said he would. He smiled at me and offered his arm. I linked my arm through his and we successfully made our way down the stairs.

When we reached the bottom, I released him. "I want to try," I told him when I saw his confused eyes. He smiled at me and nodded, then walked with me as we made our way to the kitchen, where he pulled out a chair for me at the table.

I sat as he began to speak. "I'm afraid our rations aren't quite what you may be used to, but I believe this will still be to your liking." He placed a glass of water and a plate in front of me. It appeared to be a toasted ham sandwich.

"It's fine, Sebastian. I wasn't expecting anything fancy, especially here." I picked up the sandwich. "It still looks wonderful."

Sebastian smiled. "I'll go inform the others that you're awake. You eat. I'll be back soon."

I nodded as he left, and I ate my sandwich in silence.


	45. Chapter 45

I had just finished eating when I heard the door open. I didn't move, knowing who it was.

Sebastian returned to the kitchen, followed by Evan and Lisa. When I looked at them curiously, Lisa responded, "James has some work to do today. He'll come back when he finishes."

I nodded. James was a pretty important person at the police station. Of course he was going to have to run back and forth.

Lisa's expression changed when she finally examined me. "You look pretty out of it. Did you have another vision?"

I looked back down at my empty plate and nodded, but said nothing. Sebastian then explained what I had seen, kindly leaving out the fact that I had nearly drowned in the bathtub.

"Sebastian's right," Lisa told me, her voice gentle. "If your visions are taking place at your home, then the best way to keep your friend safe is to not let her return."

"But what if they find out where she is?" I asked, looking up at her. "We can't help her."

Evan spoke up then. "It would be more of a risk trying to bring her here than it is to just leave her where she is. If you see anything about her being in danger in Hawaii, then I'll go and make sure she's safe."

I stared at Evan for a moment, then slowly nodded. Even after all he's done for me, I still couldn't forget our first few encounters.

"Sebastian's also promised to go help if that happens. Thank you, Evan."

"Then I guess my job would be to stay here with you," Lisa smiled. "It sounds like everyone will be in good hands."

I smiled at her. "I think so."

*

The rest of the day and the several that followed were uneventful. I ate meals in the kitchen, played on my phone, and called my friends at least once a day. Sebastian lay beside me every night, and was there every morning. I didn't have any visions, which I assumed meant that everything was okay.

But after about a week, everything came crashing down again.

I was sitting on a couch in the living room, reading a book I had found. I was only half paying attention, as it was pretty boring, when it happened. My vision went dark, and I felt the book fall from my hands as images began to form before me.

I saw this little town. The streets were empty except for a couple of officers handing out the next week's worth of food. The sky was filled with dark clouds, and lightning flashed often.

Suddenly, a police car pulled into view. When it stopped, several officers stepped out. They all smirked to each other, then turned toward my house. Then the vision faded.

As my normal vision returned, I felt myself gasping for air. My heart was pounding. What was that? Why were they there?

I felt hands on my shoulders suddenly and jerked away, startled. I turned to see Sebastian, and instantly felt calmer. I held my head in my hands.

There was a moment of silence, then the couch sank slightly as Sebastian sat beside me and pulled me to him. I laid against him, feeling that familiar exhaustion take over me.

"Something big is coming," I whispered to him. "A storm, and several corrupt looking officers."

Sebastian held me tighter. "I will inform Lisa."

I nodded, then felt myself succumb to my exhaustion.

*

When I awoke again, I was in my bed. The first thing I noticed was that I was alone. The next was that it was dark.

I stood carefully and made my way down the stairs. I wanted to find Sebastian. I wanted to know what was going on. It was only five in the afternoon. It shouldn't have been this dark yet.

Then I remembered my vision, and I felt my blood run cold.

I gingerly made my way to the window, where I found myself leaning heavily against it. _I must not have been out for very long..._

I peeked through the closed curtains and saw the dark sky, lit up by flashes of lightning.

A moment later, the door beside me opened. I jumped, startled, and fell back onto the floor. I looked up and sighed in relief when I saw it was James.

"James, what's-"

"We've evacuated all of the others who were staying here and sent the less experienced officers back to the station. Sebastian, Evan, and Lisa are trying to hold off the intruders. I came to make sure you were alright."

"I-" I tried, but I stopped and leaned back against the wall as a dizzying wave of fatigue hit me. I needed sleep. Why was all of this happening so suddenly?

James closed the door and knelt beside me. "These visions just seem to be making you weaker as time goes on."

I closed my eyes and tried to nod, but instead I saw an image that made me scream in terror.

I saw someone kill Sebastian.

I sat up quickly, and James was trying to calm me down as I fought to stand. I wasn't going to let that happen. I didn't know if it was a vision or just a thought, but I knew I wasn't going to risk it.

"Chrystal, what are you doing?" he asked as he finally let me stand up. "You can barely keep your eyes open."

I stepped toward the door.

"I cannot allow you to leave this building, Chrystal."

I grabbed my swords from their place by the door.

"Chrys-"

"I have to help him," I whispered, then flung open the door. This was a fight for my life, for Sebastian's life. For our future. I needed to go.

I had to help.


	46. Chapter 46

The first thing I noticed was the wind. I fought to remain standing as it blew strongly against me, making my hair fly into my face.

"Where are they?" I called back to James over a low rumble of thunder.

He gave a resigned sigh. "They were able to stop them before they made it into town." He pointed to his right. "They should be down that way."

I turned my gaze to follow his finger. _At least I won't have to fight the wind._ With that thought, I took a deep breath and ran in the indicated direction.

James yelled after me, but I refused to turn around. If what I'd seen was a vision, I didn't know how long I had to change it. I usually had several hours before visions took place, but the one about this attack had seemed to be pretty immediate. I wasn't going to take any chances.

I'd been running for several minutes when I made it. Rain had begun to fall, and I raised my swords and tiredly called out to the nearest officer who had been advancing on Sebastian.

The man looked at me and smirked, seeing how weak I was. Still, I placed my swords in their fighting position and readied myself for his attack.

He advanced quickly, and my fatigue caught up with me just before I could block him. He kicked me hard in the stomach, and I fell back onto the dirt. The man, seemingly satisfied, went back to fighting the demons. A few moments later, James was beside me, helping me sit up as the rain began to fall.

I stared forward as the rain began to pour. They had moved further away. I was barely able to make out a large group of people. I spotted Sebastian again in seconds.

He was surrounded, but he was fighting everyone off with no problems. That confused me. I'd assumed all of the officers in my vision were going to be demons, but if he was able to fight them off so easily, they must've been human.

But why were humans after us? Were they being mind controlled just like when my house had been attacked? Or were they attacking of their own volition? If so, what had I done? Or did they know of everything going on and wanted to kill me before I had the chance to accept my fate?

"Chrystal? Are you okay? Can you hear me?"

I shook my head to clear it, then looked to James. "Yeah, sorry. I'm fine. But, James, why are human officers attacking us?"

James looked from me to the fight. "I wish I knew." He then looked back to me. "Come on, we need to get you inside. You're in no state to fight."

"Chrystal!"

I looked over to see Lisa appear beside us. "What are you doing out-" she cut herself off when she saw my hands clinging tightly to my swords. "No, Chrystal, you can't. You need to get back inside."

Before I had the chance to protest, I was lifted off the ground and into her arms. I wanted to squirm and fight her, but I had no strength. I was more mad at myself than I was at her, though. She was only trying to keep my safe. But why was I always so useless at the worst possible times?

She began walking back toward the houses, James beside us. My eyes stayed on Sebastian. I wasn't going to forget what I saw. I just wanted to make sure he was safe. Was that so wrong?

Sure, he was a demon, and a really powerful one at that, but I knew he still had weaknesses just like everyone else. If someone knew how to kill him...

The rain began to pick up. Thunder roared and lightning struck the ground. We were fighting against the strong wind to make it to shelter, and Lisa seemed to be not running very fast for some reason. Maybe she was worried for me, and what running may do if I was resting. Either way, it didn't matter. I wasn't going to rest. My eyes were going to continue to strain themselves to see Sebastian through the rain.

I watched as he and Evan fought on and on. They appeared to be fighting carefully, as to not kill the humans attacking them. Sebastian was most likely thinking of me and how it would affect my thoughts, knowing that humans had been hurt during all of this. But if they were here of their own choices, I didn't care much anymore. At this point, it was kill or be killed, and I wasn't planning on dying anytime soon.

As we got further from the fight, I felt a tug on my heart. I had to stay with Sebastian. I had to be sure he was alright.

Then, as I stared on at the fight, I saw it.

While Sebastian and Evan both had their backs turned and were busy dealing with other people, one snuck up behind them. I couldn't see what he was holding, or what he was planning to do, but I knew for a fact that this was what I had seen, and I had to save Sebastian.

As the man drew closer, I felt my adrenaline kick in. I had to get up. I had to help. I was going to lose the man I loved if I didn't get Lisa to let go of me.

Suddenly, I couldn't take it anymore. I sat up in Lisa's arms and screamed, "Sebastian!!"

The next thing I knew, I was standing between Sebastian and the attacker, pulling my swords from the intruder's chest. 


	47. Chapter 47

The man before me dropped to the ground, and I felt my eyelids flutter as I tried to keep my balance. After a moment, I fell backwards, but was caught with strong, familiar arms.

Sebastian pulled me tightly against his chest as I heard Evan continuing to fight behind us.

"Don't let them live simply for my sake," I whispered. "Kill them."

A few moments later, the sounds of fighting ended with thumps as bodies hit the ground. The only sounds left were the pouring rain and my labored breathing.

"You were supposed to still be resting," I heard Sebastian whisper to me.

I closed my eyes and lay against him. "I woke up and had another vision." I paused, and felt tears begin to burn at my eyes. "I saw you get killed. I wasn't going to let that happen."

He held me tighter, and I welcomed his warmth. I'd saved him. He was alive.

Lisa and James approached us then, but I didn't look up. I didn't want to see the worry on their faces or the bodies lying around me.

"How did you-" Lisa started.

"She clearly teleported," Evan answered her. "I'm not surprised she has the ability. It's almost as rare as her visions, and only really powerful demons possess it. It is her destiny to be the most powerful demoness."

I opened my eyes and looked up to see something similar to pride in Evan's eyes. Lisa seemed pretty shocked.

"I what?" I asked, not knowing if I had heard correctly or if my fatigue was confusing words.

"You teleported," Evan answered, "probably about 100 yards or so. I'm not sure how you managed it, considering it takes a lot of strength and energy to pull off, but..."

I looked away from him and Lisa and down at my hands. _I teleported? Great, another stupid ability I have to worry about._

I looked to James, a part of me wanting to know his thoughts on what I had done. However, was focused on something else. I followed his gaze and tried to sit up. "James-"

"No. Don't say anything," he said. I had never seen him so sad.

"I had no choice. He was going to hurt Sebastian."

"He's a demon, Chrystal. Nothing he could have done would have hurt him."

"But my vision-"

"Was probably nothing more than an image in your head of the worst possible outcome of this fight. He would've been fine."

I felt my eyes brim with tears. "Have you ever loved someone, James?" I asked accusingly.

He seemed taken aback by my question. "What? What has that got to do with-"

"It has _everything_ to do with this." My tears were beginning to spill, but I tried to keep my expression steady. "Do you have _any_ idea what goes through a person's head when they see someone they love in danger? They will do _anything_ to save that person. Even if it means having blood on their hands."

James was quiet, and I followed his gaze to my bloody swords and fingers.

"I didn't want to," I cried, my resolve to keep my face steady withering. "I just didn't want to see Sebastian get hurt..."

There was a long moment of silence between us. I tried to calm myself, but I couldn't. I'd done the unthinkable.

I looked up at James once more. "If I go through with this destiny of mine, if I become a demon, there will be no avoiding things like this. I'll kill more people. We might as well both be getting used to it."

James shook his head. "Well until you decide for sure, you should really leave the dirty work to the ones who aren't bothered by the death of a human. Leave the killing to the demons." Then he turned and walked away.

There was a moment of silence before the voice above me spoke. "I apologize, My Love. It was my duty to make sure you never had to do anything like this, but it seems I was the reason you did."

I turned my gaze toward Sebastian and tried to smile at him through the tears. "And I'd do it again for you. Although I'd prefer not to make a habit out of it."

His sad expression lifted, then he leaned down and kissed me softly and lovingly as one of his gloved hands wiped my tears. When he pulled away, he stood, still holding me. "Let's get you out of the rain and cleaned up. Being soaked through really isn't good for your health."

I nodded and leaned my head on his chest as he hurried back toward the house, Evan and Lisa following close behind.

*

When we got back to the house, the first thing Sebastian did was carry me up the stairs to our room so I could change. He brought me a clean towel so I could dry off, then left the room with my swords, promising he would wait just outside in case I needed help.

I undressed and dried off the best I could with the towel provided as I tried to process everything that had happened in the past maybe 10 minutes. It had all happened so fast. I'd had a vision. I'd seen Sebastian die. I'd gone to prevent that. I'd killed someone.

I was finishing putting my clothes on as the reality of what I had done began to sink in. I'd done it. I'd done the one thing no one had wanted to see me do. I hadn't even taken the time to see if they were being controlled or not. But when I saw that he was going to hurt Sebastian...

I slid down the side of the bed and hugged my knees. I'd meant what I said to James, but he was right, too. I hadn't decided my fate yet. I knew the visions would continue whether I became a demon or not, and I knew that until I was turned, they would drain me of energy every time I had one. And on top of that, I had a new ability to worry about. I could teleport? What?

I could tell I was becoming overwhelmed, but I couldn't bring myself to stop thinking about what I had done and where my life was heading. I draped the towel over my wet hair and held my head in my hands, trying hard to fight away the tears that felt warm compared to my chilled body.

A light knock rapped on the door. "Chrystal?" Sebastian's muffled voice called.

I didn't answer, and the door opened a long moment later.

I didn't look up or even bother to move the towel out of my face. I stayed where I was and let Sebastian sit down and wrap his arms around me.

"This is what they didn't want to see," I told him.

I felt the towel be pulled away, and I let my hands fall to my lap as I looked at him. I couldn't read his expression.

"And that is why they are not here," he said, pulling out a washcloth. "You did not do it for them, so they have no reason to be mad at you."

"Yes, they do," I cried as he began to wash my face with the cloth. "I still killed someone. They'll be furious."

"I don't think so," he told me, continuing to scrub my face. "Disappointed at first, maybe, but I do not believe they will be angry with you."

He pulled the cloth away, and I glanced at it to see it was stained red. I looked back down at my bloody hands and my tears multiplied.

Sebastian covered my hands with the washcloth, gently massaging the blood away. "You did what you felt needed to be done to protect yourself and others. There is no shame in that, especially when your feelings were correct."

He once again pulled the cloth away, and I looked down at my clean hands. I could still see in my mind's eye the blood that had previously been there, and I sighed, leaning against Sebastian, where I stayed until I could no longer fight the fatigue and fell asleep in his arms. 


	48. Chapter 48

I was back in bed when I woke up, feeling slightly refreshed. I pushed away the blanket that was draped over me and sat up, only to immediately lay down again after being hit by a wave of dizziness. _I must not have rested long enough..._

After a few moments, I sat up again, but slower this time. After successfully getting to my feet, I took the few steps towards the door and opened it slowly, then jumped in surprise when I saw someone else on the other side.

My rapidly beating heart slowed when I lifted my gaze to meet Sebastian's. He was smiling at me, and I couldn't help but smile back.

"I was just coming to check on you. You've been sleeping for several days."

I lost my smile and instead gaped at him. "Days? Why didn't anyone wake me?"

Sebastian's smile fell as well. "We tried once or twice. Your abilities left you so exhausted you wouldn't even stir."

I stared up at him. I'd really been asleep for days and I still wasn't fully recovered? Could I even bring myself to tell him that I was still tired?

"Well, let's get you downstairs and fix you something to eat, shall we? I don't want you to go too much longer without eating."

I nodded, beginning to feel the hunger pains in my stomach. "Me neither."

He smiled, then we made our way down to the kitchen together.

As we reached the bottom of the staircase, I heard what sounded like a sigh of relief coming from the living room. I turned to see Lisa quickly approaching.

"Oh, thank goodness. I was so worried."

I felt my familiar old habits kick in, and I forced a smile. "I'm fine, Lisa, but thank you for your concern."

She frowned slightly. "Don't try to pretend with me. I've been watching over you almost your whole life. I can tell when you're faking something."

I stared at her, shocked for only a moment, then let my smile fall. "You're right. I'm sorry." I then summoned the courage to tell her and Sebastian the truth. "I don't think I'm fully recovered. I'm pretty sure the only reason I was able to wake up was because I'm about to starve."

Lisa gave me a small smile as Sebastian entered the kitchen. "That's much better. We're here to help you, Chrystal. You need to be honest with us."

I nodded, then we both walked into the kitchen.

Sebastian already had a sandwich and a glass of milk on the dining table, and appeared to be adding the finishing touches to a bowl of mashed potatoes. I felt my mouth begin to water at the sight of the food, and sat down at the table and began to eat.

We sat in silence as I quickly devoured the food placed before me. It tasted like a slice of heaven, but in the back of my mind I knew it was only because my body desperately needed the food.

Once I was finished, Lisa spoke up, "If you really are still weak, you should probably head back up to bed. We'll talk about our next plan of action once you're fully recovered."

"I don't want to go back. I'm alright," I said, standing to face her. But as I did so, another dizzying wave of exhaustion rushed through me, and I felt myself fall back into my chair.

Lisa gave me a stern look. "Chrystal, I know you're tired of resting all the time, but it's for your benefit. Once your trials are over, you'll never have to rest again."

I tried to return her look. "I have not chosen to become your queen."

Her sternness faded. "You do realize that this will continue, yes? The visions, the teleporting. You will still have these powers until the day you die, and they will forever have this weakening effect on you. Are you prepared to deal with that every day of your life?"

I was silent for a moment, trying to come up with a reply, but Sebastian stepped between us. I could feel the glare he was giving Lisa even with his back to me. "She will decide her own fate."

Lisa took a small step back. So small I almost didn't notice it. "I understand that, and I am not trying to sway her decisions. I'm just trying to make sure she understands the consequences of them." She looked past Sebastian at me for just a moment, then darted her eyes back to his. "I care about her well being just as much as you do, believe it or not. I want her to be happy with the life she chooses."

Sebastian stared at her determined expression, then sighed and stepped down. "I understand you have known her and watched over her for far longer than I have, but do keep in mind that everything she does is of her own choosing."

I smiled at his words. He understood me. He stood up for me. He put Lisa in her place for me. He really did love me.

After Lisa was silent for a long moment, he turned to me and held out his hand. "I know you don't want to, but I strongly recommend you get some more rest. You'll need to be at your best next time something happens."

I frowned. "Next time? When is this going to end?" I asked, more to myself than anyone.

Lisa's frown grew deeper. "Chrystal, I didn't want to tell you this yet, but do you really think that when your trials are over you'll be safe? For as long as you live, there will be the chance that you decide to become our queen. The demons who are against it now will continue to track you down to make sure you never have the opportunity to change your mind. And I know Sebastian is going to stay by your side, but just like several times before, he won't be enough."

My heart sank into my stomach. "So my friends will never be safe around me. Jasmine..."

My vision went black as I spoke my best friend's name, and I saw the same scene as before, except she was clearly several years older this time. When the vision faded and I could see the people around me again, I felt my tears begin to form.

Sympathy washed over Lisa's expression, and she knelt before me. "I'm so sorry, but you're visions will come to pass if you remain in this world."

My tears multiplied, and I held my face in my hands.

"That's quite enough of that, Lisa," Sebastian's stern voice interrupted. Lisa sighed and backed away as Sebastian picked me up from my seat and cradled me in his arms. I felt weak from my vision and couldn't move, so I just lay my head on his shoulder and tried not to cry.

"I apologize. I have been out of line. Get some rest, Chrystal. I hope you have pleasant dreams." With those words, I heard her leave the house.

Sebastian stood still for just a moment longer, then left the kitchen and ascended the stairs. When we reached the bedroom, he gently lay me on the mattress and covered me with the blanket. I immediately reached out and grabbed his hand.

He looked at my hand, then met my tearful gaze. His sympathetic expression returned, and he leaned down and kissed me. I kissed him back even harder, giving it all the energy I had left.

He pulled away slightly, our noses occasionally brushing each other as I breathed. "What is the matter, My Love? What has brought all of this on?"

I stared into his red brown eyes and tried to smile through my tears. "You said I was asleep for several days. I'm afraid I will be for several more." I tried to blink away my tears as one slid down my face. "I'm just preparing myself in case I can't see you again for a while."

He smiled at me and wiped the fallen tear with his gloved hand. "I swear to you, Chrystal, you will wake up again soon. I'll be sure of that, and I'll be right here beside you when you do."

He leaned down and kissed me again, and the last thing I remember was his hand caressing my cheek as I drifted off to sleep.


	49. Chapter 49

What I had hoped would be a dreamless sleep was anything but.

I dreamt of what my future could hold for me. I dreamt of a life in my manor alone. I had refused to let my family come back home to live with me. Their lives were so much more important to me than my own. I wouldn't risk them that way. I had Sebastian go by to check on them often, and I would call them when I had a free moment to do so. I was living my life in fear. I'd made my choice, but people still wanted to kill me. I wasn't going to change my mind.

Then the dream changed, and I was sitting on a stone throne, wearing a long black gown and a silver tiara. Sebastian approached suddenly, and I stood and allowed him to sit, then crawled into his lap and lay my head on his chest as he held me. We weren't alone. Guards lined the sides of the rooms, but I was happy. I wasn't scared. I was strong.

*

When I awoke, all I could think about was the dream. It consumed my thoughts so much that it took me a few minutes to notice the arms wrapped around me.

I finally blinked several times and let the images move to the back of my mind as I turned my head. Sebastian was there, holding me, just as he'd said he would be.

"Good morning, My Love," he smiled.

I smiled back. "Good morning," I replied as I snuggled closer to him. "How long was I asleep for this time?"

His expression changed to one I couldn't quite read. "About a day and a half. Are you feeling better?"

I nodded. "Physically, yes," I replied, "but I had a weird dream."

He clasped my hand in his. "A dream, or a vision?" he asked carefully.

I shrugged, feeling sadness and confusion wash over me. "Honestly, I'm not sure."

He stared at me solemnly. "Do you wish to talk about it?"

I hesitated, then nodded and sat up. I then slowly and quietly recounted the events of my dream to Sebastian, trying my best to keep my composure. If they were just dreams, they meant nothing. But if they were visions...

Sebastian said nothing as I spoke. He listened intently, and his expression never changed as I went from one part of the dream to the other. When I was finished, we were both silent for a long moment, and I began to worry he knew something I didn't until he finally spoke up.

"I cannot ease your worries and tell you they were merely dreams, I'm afraid," he began. "Although, because of what Lisa told you about before you went to sleep, it is likely. However, in your position and with your abilities, it is likely you saw two different futures for yourself."

I felt my shoulders slump. "So if they were visions, I don't think I have much of a choice in which decision I make."

He stared at me for a moment, thinking, then leaned down to look into my eyes. "I swear to you what I told Lisa was true. You will choose your own path, and I will be by your side no matter what you choose."

"I know you will. But what about you?" I asked. "What do you think about this future? Do you want to be king?"

His expression softened and he smiled. He sat on the bed beside me and wrapped his arms around me. "I will do as my queen commands, and if that means becoming a king, then so be it."

*

Sebastian and I were in the kitchen when the others came back. I was eating a bowl of cereal for breakfast as Lisa and Evan came into view. James, I noticed, was not with them.

"He's torn," Lisa explained as she noticed me staring at the closed door. "He wants to forgive you, but he's a human. We're lucky all of the other officers left with the other people living here when we had them evacuated, or else he may have had to report the three of you."

My frown deepened, but I understood. I still hadn't forgiven myself for what I had done, either.

"But that's besides the point," Evan said quickly, clearly agitated. "You have to tell them."

Lisa sighed, and I looked back to her, my heart beginning to pound in my chest. _Tell us what? What happened?_

When her gaze met mine, she forced a smile. "Dear, I have reason to believe your trials are nearly finished."

I turned to her completely, my breakfast forgotten. "What? Really?"

She nodded. "I know you want this to be over, but please do not get your hopes up too high. This is purely speculation, but from what I've seen, the time might be coming."

"Why do you think so, then?" I asked.

Lisa looked behind me to Sebastian, and her expression told me he was giving her one I was glad I couldn't see. She then turned to Evan, who nodded to her, giving her the "go ahead."

"When you both were attacked several days ago, Evan and I had time to figure out what was going on exactly," she began. "Those humans were only partially being controlled. They were mostly attacking of their own free will."

I stared at her, confused. "But why? Why would humans come after me? And how were they only being partly controlled?"

Evan answered, "They were humans who followed a demon because they wanted to. They agreed with the demon's motives for tracking you down and volunteered to take you out themselves. They were only being controlled slightly so that the demon could guide them here and watch through their eyes what was happening."

"He knows now what lengths you'll go to to survive. He knows what you are capable of," Lisa continued.

"If he saw the fight..." I started.

"He knows of her new ability," I heard Sebastian finish.

Evan and Lisa both nodded.

"We have to assume so, at least," Lisa added. "There's a chance he didn't see it, but we can't be dependent on her ability as a secret weapon or anything when the time comes."

"Not like I know how to control it anyway," I muttered.

I felt Sebastian place his hand comfortingly on my shoulder, and I felt myself relax slightly. I then thought of a new question.

"Wait, you all keep referring to this demon as "he." How do you know it's a man? Do you know who it is?"

Lisa and Evan exchanged a look.

"You _do_ know. How powerful is he? I need to know."

"No, you don't. We're moving you to a safe location. He won't find you. Not yet."

I sat still for a moment, Lisa's words sinking in. Suddenly, I felt angry. I stood from my seat, the chair falling over behind me.

"No. I'm not hiding anymore. I can't protect anyone by hiding. I want to end all of this. If you know how powerful this man is, then tell me. Train me." My dream flashed through my mind, images of me sitting alone and scared. I wasn't going to live my life like that. This was a decision I had to make to prevent that. I could feel it. "I'm done running. I'm ready to fight."


	50. Chapter 50

I swung my swords full force as someone ran up behind me. I barely saw Evan dodge my attack at the last second before I turned to block an assault from Lisa.

She jumped back a moment later and smiled. "You're doing wonderfully, dear."

I didn't respond. I couldn't let myself get distracted. I stood silently, waiting.

Then I felt it.

I turned quickly and raised my swords just in time to block a barrage of butter knives. I deflected the last one and saw Sebastian drop to the ground. I panted, leaving my swords raised.

Lisa and Evan had both decided several hours earlier that if I wanted to fight against the threat that was coming, then they were in no place to try and stop me. We'd all sat back down in the living room to discuss our options.

"Really, I don't think it is a good idea. He's powerful. I'm concerned the three of us aren't going to be enough to stop him," Lisa said.

I felt myself smirk a little, my confidence still high. "It's a good thing you have me, then."

Sebastian had squeezed my hand and Evan had smiled. Lisa's frown deepened.

"If you truly wish to fight with us, you will need intense training. I know Sebastian has trained you with your swords and that you are extremely gifted, but your abilities as they are now are not going to be enough to fight this demon."

"Who is he, anyway?" I asked her. "You know who he is. Why don't you just tell me?"

"He has many names," Evan answered. "Demon names, Earthly names..."

"Then just tell me one of them and we'll go from there," I urged him.

"His name doesn't matter. You won't know him either way. We're wasting precious moments here."

I sighed, giving in. I guess it didn't really matter what this demon's name was, I was just curious.

"Anyway," Lisa continued, "we will begin training after lunch. The other officers and guests will not be returning here. They've all been moved elsewhere at the request of James and myself. They will be perfectly safe. This way, you can worry about yourself."

I smiled to myself. _Thank you, James._

"We aren't sure how many people he will bring with him," Evan said. "He may come alone, or he may bring as many as a thousand followers with him. Of course, it's just the four of us, but to better train you for fighting against multiple enemies, I think it would be best for the three of us to all fight against you at once."

I nodded, agreeing with him. A year ago when Sebastian and I had been hidden away in a cave, I had trained hard with him. I had even gotten strong enough to fight him off and outsmart him. I may have the ability to do it again, but I knew I couldn't handle more than one demon attacking me at once. I did need training in that regard.

"I have a question," I told them, but directed my attention toward Evan. "Is there a way for me to train myself so that I can control my abilities even while I'm human? At the very least I know teleporting could be a really useful skill to have during a big battle."

"If there is, then I don't know what it would be. Besides, I don't want you to use any of your abilities before or during the battle if you can help it. You'll need every bit of strength you have if you want to survive."

I frowned, but nodded to him. I understood that even practicing my teleportation would drain my energy rather quickly. I was just hoping I could try to be useful in this fight.

And now here we were, at a standoff. I had been fighting them off for hours, dodging, blocking, and repelling every attack they threw at me. I was breathing hard, and it was starting to become difficult to remain standing, but I knew I had to push through it. I had to keep fighting.

I quickly shook my head to clear it of the intrusive thoughts of weakness. No, I was not about to let myself get distracted.

Suddenly, I felt movement. I focused and felt all three of them rushing at me. I readied my swords, preparing myself to attack all of them at once.

Then my mind went blank.

"Sebastian!" I heard Lisa cry out as the world faded away. I felt strong arms wrap around me as my vision darkened.

The darkness slowly lifted, and I found myself in a dimly lit and unfamiliar room. As I inspected the place more closely, I saw the dirty stone walls and the rusted metal bars. It only took a moment for me to realize I was in what appeared to be a dungeon cell.

I tried to stand, but my wrists and ankles were in tight metal shackles. I was sobbing, wondering what I had done wrong. I chose that man. I thought he'd loved me too. But as soon as he held me in his arms, he'd rushed me here. I cried into my hands, confusion making my head spin. A moment later, I heard the creaking of the metal door of my cell opening slowly. I looked up, and through blurred vision, I saw a familiar tall figure.

My body froze, and I felt a fear so intense I began shaking violently. I tried to back away, but my back hit the wall, and there was nothing left I could do but look up into his eyes.

 _Who is he?_ I thought. _What does he want?_

Suddenly, my perspective changed, and I was watching the scene unfold from outside my body. I could do nothing as I watched Sebastian approach the quivering me and kneel before her. He moved a lock of her dirty white hair behind her ear and caressed her cheek, all while she stared at him with so much fear that it hurt to see it.

"Wh-Who are you?" she asked him. "Wha-What do you want from me?"

There was a beat between them as Sebastian searched her eyes for any form of recognition. He then removed his left glove and clasped his hand in her shackled one. The chains clinked together as he gently showed her the marks they shared. I watched as her eyes grew in terror, and Sebastian's closed in sadness as his last shot failed him.

"I've come to fulfill my promise to you, My Love," he whispered, and I saw a tear fall down his cheek. My heart ached for him, but I couldn't move or look away.

"What? What promise? I don't know you! Get away from me!" she screamed.

I saw movement out of the corner of my eye and turned my head. Evan and Lisa were standing outside. Lisa turned her back to the scene before us, and her quiet sobs drifted through the room. Evan placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. I turned back to the scene before me.

Sebastian gave the scared girl a strained smile. "I love you, Chrystal. I'm so sorry I couldn't save you..."

"No! I don't know you! Go away!!" she screamed again. "Someone, help me! Mmmm!!!"

I stood in tears as I watched Sebastian kiss her. Soon, the girl quit screaming, and a moment later stopped moving. I let out a sob of my own, then everything went dark again.


	51. Chapter 51

I was screaming as I pulled myself out of my vision. I fought at the arms wrapped around me, but I only succeeded in having them grow tighter.

Voices called out to me as I continued to squirm and struggle. I felt more hands on me, trying to hold me down. Tears started to pour from my eyes, and I screamed and cried for several minutes before I had no strength left to fight with. I rubbed my wrists and felt no shackles, then finally relaxed and let the arms hold me close as I sobbed uncontrollably.

After several moments, I felt my mind grow fuzzy and go blank. My crying stopped, and I quit rubbing my wrists.

"I've blocked her emotions. Give her a second and she should be able to speak."

I looked up at Evan and Lisa. They were both staring at me, concern clear on their faces.

"What happened, dear?" Lisa asked. "What did you see?"

It took me a moment to remember, but after a few seconds I told her, "We lost. He took me and locked me away."

"Did you see him?" Evan asked.

I shook my head. "No, but I was in shackles in a dungeon. I was filthy, so I'd clearly been there a while..." I then remembered the rest of the vision, and I looked up above me.

Sebastian was holding me, staring back at me with fear and concern evident in his expression. At the sight of his sadness, I felt Evan's spell over me break, and my tears pooled in my eyes again. I wanted to reach out to him, but my exhaustion was creeping in fast. I felt my eyelids flutter as his face blurred.

I smiled up at him as I closed my eyes, then rested my head on his chest. "At least I know you'll keep your promise," I told him softly as I drifted off to sleep.

*

I awoke in bed to the sound of yelling coming from downstairs. I didn't move, immediately feeling that I had not rested nearly long enough and desperately needed more sleep. So desperately, in fact, that it took me several long moments to realize that I was still curled up in Sebastian's arms.

The voices grew more distinct after a moment, and I was able to understand the conversation going on below us.

"I told you we should have hidden her away. She's not going to be strong enough, and her vision just now was proof of that!" Lisa shouted.

"We've changed the future several times before when she had visions. What makes you think this time will be any different?" Evan yelled back.

"I know what we're up against, Evan! I'm trying to be realistic here! I'm not going to let her get taken away and tortured. I can't let that happen to her!"

"She won't be," Evan responded. "She's strong enough. She just needs a little more time."

"Time is not a luxury we have right now! Who knows how long she'll be asleep up there for? And Sebastian is not going to leave her side while she's unconscious. Not after that vision."

"What Sebastian does and doesn't do doesn't matter. So what if we have to defend this place ourselves until she wakes up? Her vision isn't going to take place for a while, based on what she told us. We still have time to prepare."

They were both quiet, and I could feel the tension in the air all the way in the bedroom. I couldn't move or even open my eyes, but I let out a shuddering breath at the emotions in the house.

Sebastian's hand began to comfortingly stroke my hair. I felt myself relax again as he began to help me fall back to sleep.

The conversation below continued, quieter this time, but still audible.

"All she had to do was look at him, and she broke my hold over her. She's so strong already."

"Few things in this world are stronger than a human's love, Evan," Lisa said, and my mind immediately thought of the other times seeing Sebastian's face had helped me break free from a demon's spell. There was the time Evan had lured me out to the cave, the demon in the manor, and looking to Sebastian to warn him was capable of weakening Evan's hold last time. This time I had managed to completely break it...

Lisa continued, "Let's hope that's enough."

Their conversation died out, and the world was quiet again. Sebastian was still petting my hair softly and soothingly, and as I thought back on Lisa's final words, I smiled slightly and managed to move my hand enough to latch onto Sebastian's still arm. His other hand froze for a moment, then he relaxed and continued.

 _I swear to you, Lisa,_ I thought as I drifted back to sleep, _it will be more than enough._


	52. Chapter 52

Sebastian was holding me tightly to his chest as we lay on the bed. I was slowly pulling myself out of a deep slumber when he noticed and moved away slightly. Without his warmth, I felt myself curl up in a ball under the blanket, suddenly cold. It felt so wrong, but I couldn't move as I tried desperately to wake up.

After a long moment, Sebastian seemed to sense what was happening. I felt his arms wrap around me again as he pulled me into a sitting position. I rubbed my eyes and managed to open them, then groggily looked around the room until my eyes landed on Sebastian.

"I'm alright," I told him when I saw his worried expression. "That vision was rough, and I didn't sleep very well."

"Well, you weren't asleep long. You were only asleep for a few minutes before Lisa and Evan started bickering, and only for about an hour once you finally settled down again."

I nodded my understanding. So I was still very low on energy, based on what he said. He probably wanted me to go back to sleep, but I knew I couldn't. I had to keep training. If I didn't...

I moved the covers from over me and began to move to the edge of the bed, but Sebastian caught my arm.

"Chrystal-"

"Sebastian, please. I need to train. I can't let that vision come true. I can't experience that twice..." My tears were returning, and my free hand went to my eyes. "I have to fight. I can't let either of us go through that..."

He was silent, and I turned to face him. He searched my eyes, but still seemed confused. "What did you see, My Love?"

I didn't want to tell him, but at the same time, I did. He surely already had his suspicions based on what I told him before I fell asleep, but I didn't want to see the pain in his eyes as I told him the story.

More tears welled in my eyes, and I looked away from him and took a deep breath, preparing myself.

But before I could speak, the door burst open, and I felt someone wrap their arms around my head.

"Now!" I heard Lisa shout.

I tried to fend her off for only a moment before my mind blanked and my tears stopped. Lisa released me, and I felt the hand on my arm tighten its grip. I turned toward it, but my head was once again grabbed by Lisa.

"Don't let her move. I only want her to be able to speak, do you understand?" she asked, her eyes never leaving mine.

There was silence as my body went limp. Lisa's hold held me up, and she gently pulled me against her to keep me as upright as possible.

"Now, dear, I'm sorry for this, but I truly think it will help." I heard Lisa say as she began to stroke my hair. "We need to know what you saw, and we cannot allow you to break this spell again. Be calm, and tell me everything."

I was silent for just a moment, then began to recount to them every detail of the vision. I told them of the cell, what it looked like, how long I had seemed to have been locked away for. But when I got to the part where Sebastian entered, something changed.

I felt immense pressure in my head as I thought of Sebastian knelt before me with tears in his eyes. The pressure mixed with pain, and I somehow managed to lift my arms and held my head in my hands.

I felt movement from Lisa as she turned her head. "What's happening?" she asked someone else in the room while she pet my hair comfortingly.

"She's fighting it again," Evan answered, his voice strained, "but I don't think she realizes she's doing it. Hurry up and have her finish."

Lisa turned back to me. "Tell me the rest, dear. I know you can do it."

After a long moment of fighting the pain in my head, I once again felt Sebastian squeeze my arm. I was able to think for only a second, but it was long enough for me to calm down and realize that I was not reliving the vision. I took a deep breath, and continued my story.

"I watched as Sebastian apologized profusely for not being able to save me, and then he fulfilled his promise. That was it," I said, wrapping up.

We all sat in silence as the three of them took in what I had told them.

"What was the promise you made with him, exactly?" Lisa asked me.

"I ordered him to take my soul, should I be captured and there was no way to save me." I felt myself smile. "He's going to do it. That's good." I felt the spell over me weaken for a moment, and I lifted my head to look at Lisa. "Oh yeah, you two were there. Thank you for trying to save me. I'm sorry it won't work out."

Lisa shook her head, and I could tell she was trying to fight tears. "No, don't say things like that. We have time. We'll fix this." She hugged me tightly. "You aren't going anywhere."

I couldn't respond as Evan's spell strengthened again. "Hurry this up, Lisa. I can't keep doing this much longer," he said.

"Then release her. You've done enough damage for one day."

At the sound of Sebastian's voice, the pain and pressure returned to my head, and I heard myself groan. Lisa tightened her hold on me, and a moment later, the spell was gone.

My body relaxed as the pain disappeared, and I sighed in relief.

"Her strength is increasing quickly," Evan commented. "Soon enough she'll be too strong to remain human."

"We'll worry about that when the time comes," Lisa told him, no doubt remembering her conversation with Sebastian a few days ago. "Right now she needs to rest. I'm sure that was a very taxing experience just now."

"Lisa, if her powers keep growing at this rate, she may be able to fight off a more powerful demon's spell soon."

"According to the vision she just told us about, it won't be soon enough."

I heard Evan sigh, and a moment later he left the room.

Lisa released her grip on me and let Sebastian pull me against him. "Again, I apologize for what we did, but we needed to know. I thought it would be easier to keep her from resisting in the state she's in." She leaned forward and tucked some loose hair behind my ear. "You're so strong, Chrystal. I swear to you, we'll get you through this."

I could do nothing but nod as I leaned against Sebastian. Lisa stood from her perch on the bed and left the room as Sebastian lay me down. I curled up against him, and was asleep again within seconds. 


	53. Chapter 53

This time when I awoke, I could tell I'd rested. I sat up almost effortlessly and stretched my stiff limbs. As I sat on the bed rousing myself, I looked around the room and frowned when Sebastian was nowhere in sight.

I stood a few moments later and decided to change out of my dirty clothes. I hadn't packed much, but someone had clearly been keeping up with the laundry for me, and I was grateful. I pulled my purple shirt and a pair of jeans from the dresser and changed clothes, then brushed my hair and pulled it back before leaving the room.

I made it all the way downstairs before I finally found someone. It was Lisa. She was sitting at the kitchen table, a large tablet in her hands. She seemed to be scrolling through some kind of news website before she noticed me and locked the screen.

"Chrystal, you're awake. How are you feeling?" she asked, whatever she was reading now clearly forgotten.

"I'm fine. Where's Sebastian? And how long was I asleep?"

"The rest of the day and all night, dear. It's nearly eleven now. Would you like something to eat?"

I nodded, and Lisa stood and made her way to the refrigerator. I, however, didn't move. "Where's Sebastian?" I asked again, starting to worry because of how she'd avoided the question the first time.

She had pulled a couple eggs from the fridge before she closed the door with a sigh. "You're friends called yesterday evening. Not wanting to wake you or worry them, Sebastian answered the phone. He didn't say much after that other than that he was leaving and to watch over you. He's been gone ever since."

My heart stopped and I felt my blood run cold. He'd been gone that long? What was happening with my friends?

My visions of Jasmine getting killed played over in my mind again, and I lost my appetite.

"I'm sure everything will be fine, dear," Lisa said as she saw my expression change. "You know Sebastian is capable of just about anything."

I knew that, yes, but an order from over five years ago came to mind that I knew would stop him from protecting them to the full extent that he could. I looked down at my left hand, at the mark we shared, and thought, _Sebastian, I'm okay, and I take back my order from all those years ago. Protect them at all costs, even if you have to reveal yourself to them. I just want all of you to stay safe._

I waited a long moment, but I didn't hear a reply. I felt myself begin to shake in fear.

Lisa was beside me in seconds, holding me to her, trying to comfort me.

"He's not answering me..." I told her quietly. "Why isn't he answering me?"

Lisa didn't answer, but her hold on me tightened.

I suddenly got an idea and pulled away from Lisa. "I'll call them. They'll answer if they're okay. Jasmine always has her phone on her."

Lisa protested, but I pushed her away and ran back up the stairs to my phone that was sitting on the nightstand.

I quickly grabbed it and found Jasmine's name. I called her and waited, counting the rings as I waited with bated breath.

She didn't pick up the first time. I called her again. And again. And again.

She finally picked up. "Hello?"

"Jasmine?!"

"Chrys?! You're okay!"

"What's happening over there? Are you all safe?"

Jasmine didn't answer for a moment.

"Jasmine?"

"Sorry," she replied, sounding like she was pulling herself out of a trance. "Yes, we're fine. Someone came to our room last night and wouldn't leave. The front desk wouldn't answer no matter how many times we tried to call security. I wanted to call you just in case something happened to us..."

"Did they get into the room? You're safe now, right?"

"No, he never got in, but he kept asking if we knew you. Chrys, what is going on? How did he know we knew each other?"

I looked up to see Lisa in the room with me. She was shaking her head grimly. Something wasn't right here.

"And how did Sebastian get here so fast? He answered the phone and was here within the hour."

I held my breath. "Is he still there with you?"

"Yeah," she answered, and I sighed in relief. "Chrys, who is he? What's going on? Who was the man outside?"

"Jasmine, I will explain everything to all of you as soon as I can, but I won't do it over the phone. Where is the man now?"

"Sebastian is out in the hall talking to him again. He hasn't left us alone all night. Sebastian promised to watch over us while we slept, but I don't think any of us were able to."

I sat in silence for a moment, Lisa watching me. I was about to say something when I heard Jasmine's voice on the other end. "Oh, he's come back!" Then distantly, like she'd pulled the phone away from her face, she said, "It's Chrys!" After a muffled conversation, and some shifting sounds, a new voice spoke. One I was all too familiar with.

"My Lady?"

I felt so much relief wash over me at the sound of his voice that I felt my eyes water. "Sebastian, what's going on over there?"

He avoided my question. "How are you? How did you sleep?"

"I'm fine and well rested. Now what is going on? Why didn't you answer me?"

"Because doing so would have broken that order."

"Sebastian, I don't care about orders anymore. Our contract doesn't mean anything anymore."

"I wouldn't say that. It binds me to you, after all."

I sighed. "We'll have to tell them soon anyway. I don't care if you have to reveal yourself to them anymore. I can explain everything once I see them again. If I see them again."

"You will, My Lady. Now please stay with Lisa and Evan while I get this sorted out. I will return as soon as your friends are safe."

I didn't answer. My mind was whirling with ideas of things I or Sebastian could do to protect the others from a demon.

"My Lady?"

Finally, I made up my mind. "Sebastian. Tell him where I am."

Lisa's eyes grew wide in shock as she quickly shook her head. "Are you crazy?"

"Chrystal, I cannot-"

"It's the only way to get him to leave my friends alone. I'll be fine."

"And what if you have another-" he stopped himself, probably looking at my friends. He finished "-episode?"

"Episode? What's wrong with Chrys?" I heard Jasmine's voice faintly in the background.

"I'll be okay. We'll send word to James and I know he'll come back. Plus, as soon as you know that man has left, you can come back. I'll be able to hold my own for a little while, at least. You know I can."

He didn't answer.

"Sebastian, I'll make it an order if I have to."

"Even if you did, I would have to disobey. I will not do it. My job as your servant is to protect you."

"And your job is also to do what I say and protect my friends. I don't want any of you getting hurt." I realized I was beginning to shout and quieted myself. Ever since the teleporting thing happened, I'd been trying to keep my emotions in check, but this was something I wasn't sure I could do that with. "Please, Sebastian. I'm in great health at the moment. Now is the best time for someone to come, and I know you'll get here in time to save me should anything happen."

I had no idea if what I was saying was making any kind of dent in his resolve. After several moments of silence, I was about to say something again when I could hear loud banging on the door from their end.

My heartbeat quickened. "Sebastian, please-"

"I must go."

"No, Sebastian, wait!" I tried. "I love-"

The phone clicked and hung up.

"No! Sebastian!"


	54. Chapter 54

I stared down at the phone. At the top, it read 'Call Ended', and it took several long moments for me to process what had happened. He'd hung up on me. To save me, he'd hung up on me.

As if someone had flipped a switch, I suddenly felt so many emotions. Fear, sadness, and anger all flowed through me and came out as hot tears as I immediately began to sob. I threw the phone onto the bed and hugged myself as I cried.

Lisa came over and placed her hand on my shoulder. "Chrystal, you know he only did that to-"

"I don't care why!" I screeched at her. "All of them are in danger!"

"Chrystal, if you don't calm down-"

The rest of her sentence never came. The world was beginning to spin around me. My fear overcame my other emotions as I latched onto Lisa's arm.

"No, Chrystal, you have to stop!" she yelled, but I barely heard her. When she got no response, she held my hand tightly. I closed my eyes.

The world felt as if it had fallen out from under me. I wanted to scream but didn't dare open my mouth. I didn't even breathe until I felt a solid surface beneath me again.

A moment later, I was surrounded by gasps.

I slowly opened my eyes. The first person I saw was Lisa, who was holding me tightly to her. "Are you alright?" she asked quickly and quietly.

I took a moment to steady myself before I slowly nodded. She let out a sigh of relief, then turned her gaze to the space around us.

"Chrystal?" asked a familiarly timid voice.

I followed the sound to its source and felt tears form in my eyes again. Jasmine was staring at me. All of my friends were watching me. I wanted to jump up and hug all of them, but their confused and frightened stares kept me from moving.

Jasmine took a step forward, but was stopped by Sarah, who shook her head to her and approached me herself. We stared at each other as she knelt on the floor in front of me. After a long moment, she gave me a small smile.

"I'm glad you're alright," she said, reaching out her hand and placing it on my head, just like she had so many times before.

My tears overflowed, and I broke free from Lisa's grasp and hugged her tight. She hugged me back, and the others took it as a sign that they could also approach.

Sarah pulled back suddenly, curiosity and confusion in her eyes. "Chrystal, as excited as we are to see you, how did you get here?"

As much as I wanted to answer, I found that I couldn't. My energy vanished yet again, and Lisa pulled me back into her arms.

"What happened?" I heard Jasmine ask, alarmed. "Is she okay?"

"It's a long story," Lisa told them. "Now if I were you, I would stop saying her name so loudly. The person out there is clearly looking for her."

Everyone nodded, and I felt my eyes close. The others talked in hushed voices, but I couldn't even comprehend what they were saying anymore.

After what felt like an eternity, I heard the door to the room creak open. I pried my eyes open enough to see Sebastian close the door behind him and turn to face me. He didn't seem surprised; he'd probably been able to sense when I arrived. Even still, he walked over and sat on the ground beside me, then ran a gentle hand over my forehead.

"You shouldn't have come here," he said gently.

Lisa answered for me, "You act like she can control it."

"Um, excuse me. Sebastian? Miss police officer? What's going on?" I heard Jasmine ask. "How did she get here?"

I tried to sit up, but Sebastian stopped me. "With your permission, My Lady, Lisa and I will explain everything to them. You need to rest."

I wanted to object. I felt that I needed to be the one to tell them. It was my destiny, after all. But Sebastian was right. I needed to sleep, and he and Lisa would probably be able to explain things to them much better than I could. I reluctantly nodded.

Sebastian smiled, and Lisa stood and lifted me up from the floor. Immediately, there was commotion as my friends began to clean off the closest bed. Lisa lay me down gently, then sat beside me and covered me with the blanket. A moment later, Jasmine sat on my other side and took my hand. I smiled up at her as I finally succumbed and fell asleep, only slightly aware that she was staring at the black marking on my wrist.

*

_There were people everywhere. They filled the hotel lobby and were running up the stairs, pushing passed and killing anyone in their way. The staff in the lobby were all dead behind the front desk, blood soaking through their clothes._

_They were ruthless as they searched the hotel. They barged into every room and killed anyone who would not cooperate with them. Suddenly, I saw all of us, cowering in a corner of the room. Lisa and Sebastian stood before us, and I was in front of my friends despite their protests. I tightened my grip on my swords._

_After a few moments of sitting in terrified silence, the door to our room came crashing down. Jasmine screamed from behind me, and I stood to protect her and the others. Lisa narrowed her eyes at one of the men in particular. I followed her gaze and saw a man with silver hair and red eyes staring past Lisa and directly at me. I felt the familiar tug of the trance so many had put on me before, and I fought it, staring hard back at him._

_"You've grown quite powerful, I see," he said with a smirk. He then laughed suddenly, and called in a loud and demanding voice, "Here I am, Your Majesty! Your final trial! Let's see how you and your love fair in this one last test."_


	55. Chapter 55

"Chrys, hey! Are you okay?"

I bolted upright, gasping for air as I pulled myself out of my vision. I stared at the unfamiliar walls around me, and it took a long moment for my eyes to focus and let me recognize the people around me.

Lisa was sat to my right, her hand on my shoulder, and to my left was Jasmine, who was staring at me worriedly. It took another moment for me to realize that I was squeezing her hand tightly. I took a deep breath and released her. "Sorry. I'm fine."

Lisa's grip on my shoulder tightened. "What was it, dear? A nightmare, or a vision?"

I looked down at my hands, not wanting to meet the gazes of my friends around me. "A vision, I think." I took another deep breath. "They know I'm here. They're coming."

There was silence in the room, and no one seemed to move. I couldn't bring myself to look at anyone. I'd endangered all of them yet again by coming here. Why couldn't I do anything right?

After what felt like an eternity, but couldn't have been longer than a few seconds, Jasmine reached out and took my hand again. I was surprised when she held on tightly, not seeming to care about the dark black mark on my wrist.

"Sebastian and the officer explained everything to us while you were asleep. Please, Chrys, don't start to blame yourself for anything that is happening. You know we don't blame you for anything, right?"

Sarah appeared beside her. "She's right, you know. I understand why you didn't tell us any of this, but you should have a little faith in us. We aren't going to run away when you need help."

My eyes watered as I looked up at the two of them. Maia and Thomas were behind them, both nodding earnestly in agreement.

"I love you guys," I told them, "which is why you need to leave me here. Go far away from this hotel. Please."

"Are you crazy?" Maia asked. "Why do you think you can keep sending us away? Now that we're all together again, let us help you."

I shook my head. "No, not with this. I can't lose any of you."

Sarah reached out and grabbed my free hand, clearly about to give me a piece of her mind, but she stopped short, her anger gone. "You're warm, Chrystal."

Lisa's hand suddenly moved from my shoulder to my forehead. "She's right. Are you feeling ok?"

I tried weakly to shake all of their hands off of me. Lisa was the only one who moved. "I'm fine. I'm probably just still low on energy."

Sebastian appeared beside us. "That very well could be the case. You didn't rest long, and I'm sure having a vision didn't help."

I didn't answer, not sure what to say. I could feel my fatigue returning, but it was bringing a pounding headache with it.

"What was your vision this time?" Lisa asked. "What exactly did you see?"

I remained silent for a moment. I didn't want to think about it. Remembering all of the blood made me feel even sicker.

Before I could respond, there was a light knock on the door. Everyone froze, not knowing who it could be. We were all here.

Lisa moved first. She stood while Sebastian moved closer to me. I stared at the door, holding both my friends' hands tighter.

We watched Lisa as she carefully made her way to the door and peeked through the peephole. After several long seconds, she sighed in relief and opened the door.

I held my breath as the door opened, then released it when I saw Evan was on the other side.

"I hope you don't mind that I dropped in," he said as he took a step into the room. "Oh, I also brought someone else along for the ride."

We all watched him in confusion. How was he able to get here so quickly while holding onto someone else? As far as I knew, he couldn't teleport. But if he was anything like Sebastian, I really shouldn't be surprised by his abilities.

There seemed to be a few seconds of quarreling out in the hallway. I was about to tell him we really needed to close the door when finally Evan pulled the familiar figure into the room.

James was standing there, looking like he'd been through a tornado. His hair was all over the place, and his uniform was wrinkled. He also appeared to be in a very sour mood, but Lisa paid it no mind as she casually shoved him aside so she could close and lock the door.

"Well," Lisa said, "now that everyone is here, Chrystal can tell us everything she just saw."

My anxiety about the vision spiked again, and the nauseous feeling returned.

Evan approached me then with a small smile on his face. "Maybe these will help ease your mind. We all know I can't anymore."

I looked to his outstretched hand and saw with relief that he was holding my swords. I then glanced up to meet his gaze. "Can't you try?"

His eyes widened in shock, then his expression slowly began to hold sympathy. "I can, but based on last time, it may do more harm than good."

"Please?" I asked, my voice soft and weak. "I'll try not to resist."

Evan looked to the demons around him, as if he needed their approval. Lisa didn't answer, and Sebastian wrapped his arm around me. There was a beat, and then Evan looked back to me and nodded.

I gave a weak smile, then closed my eyes and let the familiar cloud drape over me. I immediately felt relaxed. The oncoming headache vanished, and I was only left with slight nausea. Now calm, I started to tell them all about the vision.

"The hotel is going to be attacked," I told them, my eyes remaining closed. "Hoards of people, human and demon, are going to come here and destroy everyone and everything that gets in their way. Every person in every room on every floor until they find me. They'll break into the room, and one demon in particular addresses me."

I paused, the nausea getting worse. I leaned against Sebastian, and I felt his other arm wrap around me.

"What does he say, dear? What happens then?" Lisa's voice asked.

"He tries to use his powers on me, but I'm able to hold him off for a bit. Then..." My headache started to return, and I released my friends to hold my pounding head in my hands.

"Evan-" Lisa tried.

"No, it's not him!" I told them, desperate for him to keep me calm. The cloud around me thickened, and my fear disappeared. I tried to relax my mind, hoping that it would help with whatever I was doing to resist him. The pain in my head dulled for a moment, and I decided it was the best time to wrap up my story.

"He told me he was my final trial."

There was silence in the room, and it was more insufferable than my headache.

"We still have time," I said, trying to reassure them. "I was fine in the vision, so whatever is going on with me is going to pass before he gets here."

"Then rest, Chrystal," came a gentle voice beside me. "We'll think of a plan while you focus on getting better."

I glanced up beside me to see that Thomas had approached me. He was smiling down at me in a way that made my eyes water.

"No," I told him. "No, you all have to leave. I can't let you get hurt. As your boss, you need to leave this place."

"And as your servants and caretakers, we refuse to leave you to fight this battle on your own," he told me softly. "Rest now."

Tears slid down my cheeks. Never once had any of them said no to me before. The fact that they were all willing to risk their lives for me was too much.

Sebastian gently had me lay back on the bed. Everyone moved away, and a moment later, Evan stood above me. I glanced up at him, confused.

"My hold over you will break when you fall asleep," he informed. He then suddenly moved his hand over my forehead and caressed my cheek as he closed his eyes. "This is my only alternative. While it can't block your visions, it will prevent you from having any nightmares." He opened his eyes again as he removed his hand. "Sleep well."

I didn't respond as he pulled away. Suddenly, my eyelids were heavy, and I couldn't keep them open. I then couldn't help myself, and I lay my head on Sebastian's thigh before finally drifting back to sleep.


	56. Chapter 56

I awoke in the same position I had fallen asleep in. Sebastian was petting my hair comfortingly while the people around me whispered about what was to come. Still fatigued, I didn't move as I began to listen to the voices around me.

"So she really is the princess of some demon world?" I heard Maia ask someone.

"She is," Lisa answered her. "We were still skeptical at first, but when her powers awoke, we knew it was her."

"How long will she sleep?" Jasmine's worried voice came from beside me. "It's been hours."

"The first time she ever teleported anywhere, she was unconscious for several days," Evan told everyone bluntly.

Jasmine gasped.

"But she has grown stronger since then," Lisa added quickly. "Hopefully it won't be too much longer."

"She teleported you and herself across the country and an ocean, Lisa."

"Evan, you're only going to scare them!"

I wanted to sit up and let them know I was alright, but I couldn't find the strength to do so. I could feel my headache returning.

There was nothing I could do to reassure anyone. All I could do was nuzzle up against Sebastian again and drift back to sleep. And so I did.

*

The next time I woke up, it was to a loud bang.

I sat up quickly, only to immediately wish I hadn't. My headache returned with a vengeance, and I held my head in my hand and groaned.

"Chrystal!" several of my friends said at once.

I looked up to see Sarah and Jasmine beside me. Lisa was standing by the door, and Sebastian was still to my right.

"What was that?" I asked, trying to shake the sleep away. "What happened?"

I saw Lisa and Sebastian look at each other, and that was all I needed to know the answer to my question.

"They're here," I whispered.

Sebastian pulled me to him. "Not yet, but they are approaching. It doesn't appear that they want their attack to be any sort of surprise."

I thought for a long moment. If they wanted me to know they were coming, then they wanted to let me prepare. With that thought in mind, I fought against my pounding head and shakily got to my feet.

"Chrys, what are you doing?" Jasmine asked worriedly.

I looked at her and forced a smile. "What I have to do. I have to stop my vision from coming true."

"And how do you plan on doing that?" Lisa asked. "There wasn't much that could be changed, from what I heard."

This time my smile was genuine. Finally I could do something right. "It's me they're after. If I meet them in the lobby or outside the hotel, I could save so many lives."

"Chrystal, you are clearly in no shape to fight anyone."

"It doesn't matter what I want anymore," I told her. "If I leave, everyone in this hotel is going to be killed. I am not going to run away and leave all of these people to die."

Everyone was quiet as they looked at each other, clearly not liking this plan.

"As I've said before," I said, addressing all of them, "I don't want any of you to get hurt. I can't stop you from staying, and clearly ordering you to leave isn't working." I felt my eyes fill with tears as I stood straighter and looked to each of my friends in turn. "I beg of you, at least make sure you understand the stakes. None of you are going to be able to fight off a power hungry demon, much less hundreds of them. Know that I understand you want to help, and appreciate it greatly. If you want to stay, I won't stop you, but if you understand that you won't survive this, then please leave now."

The four of them stared at me for a long moment, then began to look to each other.

I approached Jasmine. "Remember my dreams I was telling you about?"

She slowly nodded as she finally understood. "Those weren't just dreams, were they?"

I shook my head. "Something is targeting you. Please, find somewhere to hide."

She stared at me, and I could see tears in her eyes. Finally, she nodded.

I sighed in relief. "Take James with you and anyone else who wants to hide. Go far away from here."

She nodded again, but James spoke up. "Wait a minute-"

"James, please. I know you want to help, but you're just as human as they are. You won't stand a chance, either. Take my family far away from here and keep them safe."

James' gaze softened. "You're human, too."

I gave him a sad smile. "Someone will call you when it's over."

I felt a hand on my arm, and looked up to see Maia. " _You_ will call us when this is over. We'll see you soon."

I smiled as a few of my tears spilled over. That was two of them leaving. Could I convince the others? Slowly, I looked between Sarah and Thomas.

Sarah stared at me sadly, clearly torn. "I know I'll be in your way, but I really feel I must stay here. I can treat you after the battle if need be, at least until help arrives."

I had to admit, she made a valid point. She was pretty much on par with nurses when it came to her knowledge of first aid and treating wounds. If it did come down to it, we may need her.

Before answering her, I turned my gaze to Thomas. He stared at me as he thought about what he should do. Then, he turned to Lisa and James.

"Either of you have a spare gun?"

I gaped at him. Was he really going to stay?

"Thomas, I didn't know you knew how to use a gun," Maia exclaimed.

"My father took me hunting a few times. I didn't care for the sport, but I did pick up a few helpful tricks."

Lisa pulled a gun from her belt and handed it to him. "I won't be using it. I'm just required to carry it. I prefer to fight with my fists."

Thomas nodded to the demon as he accepted the weapon. He then turned back to me. "You said humans and demons are coming, right? Well, this will take care of the former. Leave them to me."

I looked between the two of them, then slowly nodded. They made their points. I wasn't going to be able to make them leave me a second time, especially now, when they knew the whole truth.

I turned to James. "Please, get them out of here."

He walked over to me and held my gaze, almost like he was searching for something. Maybe he wanted me to run. Maybe he wanted me to let him stay and help. Maybe he was still searching for the murderer that now resided inside of me.

After a long silence, he gave me a small smile. "I'm sorry," he said. "I shouldn't have gotten mad at you. You do what you have to do. Get through this. We'll see you soon."


	57. Chapter 57

James left quickly, leading Jasmine and Maia away from this hotel. Once the door closed behind them, I smiled, then sat heavily on the bed again, holding my head in my hands.

"Chrystal?" Sarah asked quickly, running to sit beside me. She held me close, then asked the others, "What is this? What's happening to her?"

"Her powers are growing," Lisa answered softly. "She's becoming too strong to remain human. We need to end this quickly."

"She's in no condition to fight anyone!" Sarah argued.

I pulled away from her a little. "No, Lisa's right. We have to end this."

"Why? Why does this have to end now?" I could see the concern and confusion in her eyes. "If she tries to go down there and fight, she'll only get herself killed!"

"Sarah," Sebastian said smoothly, "believe me, I hate the idea of her going down there just as much as you do, but the only way to help her is to finish this."

"Why?" she asked again. "What happens when this is over?"

The demons were quiet. I held my head tighter as another wave of pain hit, and Thomas took a step closer to us.

Eventually, Evan answered. "Once her final trial is complete, she can be transformed into a demon and ascend the throne. Once she is free from her human body, she won't be in pain from her powers anymore."

"Of course, it is still her choice to make. One we will all respect," Lisa added.

There was silence in the room yet again, and Sarah held me tighter.

"You aren't really thinking about not going through with it, are you?" she asked.

I looked up and stared at her, stunned. "I don't want to leave you guys. I didn't think you'd really want me to become a demon." I hugged my arms around myself. "I don't really want to be the same sort of being who killed my parents."

"Trust me," Thomas said, "your parents would want you to be happy. They won't care what you are."

"And I for one cannot let you suffer like this for the rest of your life. Who knows how strong these powers of yours will become?" Sarah asked. "They may become too much and kill you. And we don't care what you are. You'll always be Chrystal."

My eyes watered at her remark. They both cared so much about me. I really hadn't expected them to accept my fate so easily, and yet here they were, telling me that everything was going to be okay, and that they'll always be beside me.

"I hate to interrupt," Evan said, pulling us all from our thoughts, "but they aren't slowing down, nor are they going to wait for you to be ready before they attack. We should really start moving."

I nodded, then looked around the room at everyone who remained. I had to come up with a plan. This was my fight, my destiny. I felt that I should be in charge of it.

"The four of you should go on down to the lobby, clear it out. I don't care what you have to do, but make sure you don't hurt anyone." I focused my gaze on Sarah and Thomas, and it was nice to see the familiar look on their faces as they awaited their orders. "I want both of you to stay in the hallways when the attackers get here. Only come out if we need you. Make sure all of the guests stay in their rooms. Please."

They both saluted and answered, "Yes, Chrystal," before turning to the demons.

I also gazed at them. "I can't go down there with my swords if the lobby is crowded. I'll be down soon. If they get here before I arrive, I need you to hold them off the best you can. Besides," I added, holding my head again, "I'd like to take a minute and see if this headache will go away..."

Lisa and Evan exchanged a glance before nodding. "We'll do our best to clear the outside in front of the building as well," Lisa told me, "but we make no promises."

"We should have the lobby cleared within five minutes," Evan commented. "That should give us plenty of time to make sure it stays clear before they arrive."

I nodded. "Be careful, all of you."

They all smiled. Sarah and Thomas hugged me, and Lisa patted my shoulder, then they all left the room to prepare for the battle ahead.

*

My heart began pounding as I watched them leave. I wanted Sarah and Thomas to hide with the others, but that wasn't going to happen. I had to be thankful that two of them understood what was happening and what the stakes were. At the very least, I would still have two of my friends when this was all over.

I shook my head rapidly, despite the pounding headache. _No,_ I told myself, _I can't think like that. I will not let those two die. I'll protect them with my life._

There was a brief moment of silence, then I felt Sebastian move to sit beside me. He pulled me to him, and I leaned against him.

"Remember the last time we ran into battle together like this?" He asked, and I could hear the smile on his lips.

"I wouldn't say we'd done it together," I told him. "You ran in before I did."

"Just because we weren't fighting back to back does not mean we weren't fighting together," he said. "We were on the same team, working toward the same goal."

"But this is different." I reached down beside me and picked up my swords, tilting them in the light and admiring their shine.

"How so?"

"Back then, I'd been waiting for the inevitable end of our contract. I hadn't cared what happened to me, so long as you saved the others. I was going to die either way. Now..." I stopped, my eyes filling with tears again. When I spoke next, my emotions were evident in my wavering voice. "Now, I have a life ahead of me. I have people to protect." I looked up from my swords to meet his somber face as the tears spilled over. "I don't want to die. I want my eternity with you."

He gave me a sad smile. "It sounds as if you've made your decision."

I shook my head. "I've never had a decision, Sebastian. Lisa and Sarah are right. These powers aren't going anywhere, and they might just kill me if they get to the point where I can't handle them anymore. And after that dream..." I thought back to the dream I'd had where I was alone in my manor, terrified for my life, then regal and carefree as I sat on a throne with Sebastian. There was never a choice. There was only destiny.

Sebastian held me closer. "You have no idea how happy I am to hear those words."

"Really?" I asked him as I tried to wipe away tears. "Do you want to be king?"

He pulled away and shook his head. "It has nothing to do with that part of your destiny. I just really didn't want to have to worry about losing you one day. An eternity with you is all I've ever wanted."

The tears I'd previously wiped away were replaced with fresh ones. I hugged him tightly, and he did the same. "I've never looked forward to anything more in my entire life," I cried.

He pet my hair soothingly. "Neither have I."

I sat in his arms for a moment longer, then reluctantly pulled away. "We need to get downstairs. I have to be there." I stared down at my lap. "Maybe we shouldn't get too excited. I may not make it through this fight."

Sebastian slowly lifted my chin with his thumb and forefinger. I met his gaze, and I was shocked at how confident he seemed.

"I will not lose you. You will make it through this." He smiled at me sweetly. "We will have our eternity."

I smiled as he leaned down and kissed me. It was a different kind of kiss than I was used to. I felt his love for me in it as always, but this time he was kissing me harder, as if he was trying to send me his confidence through our touch.

I wasn't sure if it was love or his confidence that convinced me, but when he pulled away, and as I gasped for air, I smiled at him and nodded. We would survive.

Sebastian stood and extended his hand. I took it and he helped me to my feet. My head immediately began spinning again, and I had to hold onto him until I could get my balance.

"Chrystal-"

"I know, but we have no choice." I smiled up at him. "I'll be fine. I have three demons ready to protect me. Now let's get down there so we can finally end this."

Sebastian smiled, then bowed to me deeply. "Yes, My Love."


	58. Chapter 58

Sebastian led the way down to the lobby, holding my hand and walking slowly to make sure I could keep up. My other hand was gripping my swords tightly. I wanted to be ready for anything, even if the threat had yet to reach us.

The others seemed to have done well in making sure the other guests stayed in their rooms. The halls were all empty, and I was able to smile through my pain at the thought of less people becoming victims to this.

When we reached the elevator, it too was clear of people. I leaned against Sebastian as we stood inside and waited, my head still pounding. He held me closer, but neither of us said a word.

The machine dinged, alerting us we were on our requested floor. As the doors opened, I lifted my head, holding in a groan as the movement sent another sharp pain through my skull. Sebastian's hand holding mine tightened, and he led us out of the elevator and into the lobby.

Sarah and Thomas were there to meet us, and I relaxed as I saw we were the only people in the lobby. They took one look at me and frowned, their anxiety over the situation clear. I did my best to ignore it, knowing there was nothing any of us could do. I had to tough it out. I had to end this today.

"Lisa is outside, trying to clear the entry and the parking lot," Sarah reported. "Evan went to see if he could find the attackers and tell us how long we had left."

I nodded, only to immediately regret it and drop my swords to hold my head in my hands. Sebastian pulled my to him and had me rest my head against him, while the others went into a panic.

"Chrys, you should really-"

"If I sit down, Thomas, I'm not sure I'll be able to get back up."

"Surely there is some pain medication in this building somewhere. Maybe behind the reception desk, or in an office, or-"

"I'm not sure it would help with this kind of pain, Sarah." I gritted my teeth as another wave hit me. "Besides, even if it did, it wouldn't take effect until we were well into battle." I sighed, the pain dulling slightly. "It's useless."

None of them said anything, which I took as a sign that they either believed me or respected my place as their higher up enough to not fight me on my decision. Either way was fine with me. I didn't want to argue with them.

The sliding doors at the entrance opened suddenly, and we all looked to see Lisa returning. She was smiling, clearly proud of her accomplishments.

"I've managed to make sure everyone stays far away from here, and we've convinced everyone to stay in their rooms. We shouldn't see any guest casualties."

When I made no move to answer her, she lost her smile. "Chrystal, I'm glad you were able to get us here."

"Really?" I asked, confused.

Lisa nodded. "If you hadn't, who knows how long it would've taken these people to finally arrive where we were? Now, we're getting this over with quickly, meaning you won't have to suffer anymore."

I pulled away from Sebastian and straightened myself. She was right. Had I not brought us here, things could have been much worse than a headache and slight dizziness.

Just then, Evan returned. He looked serious and approached us quickly.

"I think they saw me. They'll be here any minute. Get ready."

My heart started racing. I took a deep, skaking breath, then began to reach down for my swords. Sarah beat me to it, and handed them to me. Reluctantly, I released Sebastian and took my swords in my hands.

"Thanks."

She smiled at me, but her anxiety was still evident. "Be careful and call for us if you need help."

I gave a slight nod, and she and Thomas ran to hide in the hallways.

I watched as Lisa and Evan moved to stand in front of the entrance. They seemed so sure of themselves. They looked ready, especially Lisa. It must have been all the police training.

After a long moment, I felt Sebastian's hand on my head. I turned and faced him, and he gave me a small smile.

"You can do this, My Love. We are all right beside you."

I gave him a nod, one that I didn't care hurt my head. I could do this. I had my friends beside me. I wasn't going to let these people hurt them.

His smile grew, and he moved his hand from the top of my head to caress my cheek. I leaned into his touch, which made me feel even more confident.

But suddenly, our moment was broken.

"Prepare yourselves!" Lisa shouted, then the next thing any of us saw or heard was the glass doors and windows shattering.

Sebastian jumped in front of me before I could move, shielding me from the glass flying across the room. We waited for a moment, then looked up again when the glass had stilled.

Before us was the man from my vision, a tall demon with silver hair and glowing red eyes. I lifted my swords, preparing myself, then caught sight of the demons and humans standing behind him. I'd seen many of them in my vision, but this seemed like many more.

I shook it off and looked back to the man in front. This was him. My last trial. All I had to do was defeat him and his horde, and then I'd finally be free.

As I stared, the man smirked, and his eyes grew brighter. I felt the familiar spell, but just as I had in my vision, I glared back, fighting it. The pain in my head increased, but I tried not to let the man before me know that I was at a disadvantage.

"You've grown quite powerful, I see," he said, continuing to smirk.

"I have," I told him, trying to sound like I wasn't struggling to hold him off. "I've been practicing. I had to be ready for my final trial, after all."

He laughed suddenly. "Ah, so you foresaw our arrival. That would explain the lack of humans wandering about. Not that I mind, of course. You've saved us a lot of work by coming to us."

"It was just a convenience, I assure you. I was simply trying to save my kind from yours."

"That would be where you are wrong, Your Majesty. You've been one of us ever since your powers awoke."

I stood straighter and lifted my swords higher. "No, I'm not. It may be in my future to become a demon, but I'll never be a monster like any of you."

He lost his smirk. "I am no monster, Your Highness. I am simply a test. Now, let us see if you'll pass."


	59. Chapter 59

With a wave of his hand, the demon before us had his army advancing. He was still staring me down, trying to control me. I stared back, concentrating hard on keeping his spell away from me. I could see Lisa and Evan fighting, trying to keep as many people as possible from reaching us. Several still managed to trickle through, but Sebastian was able to keep them away from me.

As the fighting continued, the constant stress on my mind as I fought for control over myself was beginning to become more painful than I could bear. I felt my eyes squeeze shut and my face contort in pain.

"Sebastian," I whimpered, "please, make it stop..."

Suddenly, the pain intensified, and I cried out and dropped my swords, holding my head and falling to my knees.

I heard someone shout my name, then gunshots ring out in the large lobby. People screamed, and eventually, the pain dulled.

When I was able to open my eyes and look up, Thomas was in front of me, shooting anyone who came close to us. Evan and Lisa were slowly but surely taking out the horde themselves, and Sebastian was now locked in battle with the silver haired demon.

I took a deep breath, then once again reached for my swords. I stood on wobbly legs behind Thomas.

"Thank you. I'm alright now," I told him as I regained my balance.

He glanced back at me for a quick moment, his eyes unsure as to whether or not to leave me. I gave him a second to think, then stepped beside him. If he wanted to fight with me, then I wouldn't stop him. With this many people attacking, the more hands on our side, the better.

I turned my gaze back to the fight in time to see the silver haired demon throw Sebastian into a wall.

"Sebastian!" I screamed, and before I knew it, I was running.

I dodged blows from demons and humans as I ran toward him, then stopped, shielding him just as he had always shielded me. I raised my swords, ready to attack as my headache was forgotten to the adrenaline that was finally taking over.

The demon stared at me, and his eyes began to glow again, and I felt his spell creeping in on me. "It's best not to fight it, Your Highness. Give in, and we'll rule together."

"Nice try," I told him, the strain of fighting him off clear in my voice, "but I saw what will happen if you win this fight, and I'm not planning on putting any of my friends through that."

"Pray tell, Your Majesty. What did you see?"

I didn't want to tell him. I knew he was trying to distract me. I could feel his pull on me become stronger as he talked, his words causing me to lose focus. He was winning. I told him.

"I saw myself, locked away in a dungeon. I was scared, because you had hypnotized me to love you, and I was confused as to why you'd chained me to a wall. But Sebastian and the others found me. I was too far gone to be helped, but they still managed to save me."

The demon scowled, his eyes glowing brighter, and the hold over me becoming too much to fight. "How did they save you?"

I gulped. "Sebastian fulfilled his final order. I told him that if I was ever taken away and locked under a spell that they couldn't save me from, then he was to consume my soul." I shook my head quickly, once again finding strength to fight. "Don't you see? No matter what you do, you won't win!"

He smirked suddenly, and I felt his pull vanish. "It seems I only have one other option, then. I must kill you where you stand!"

The next thing I knew, he was in front of me. I screamed and swung my swords fast enough to block his punches. I heard several people shout my name, but I couldn't find an opening in his barrage of attacks to escape. If this kept up, he'd back me into a corner and kill me.

I continued to block his attacks, looking for patterns or anything I could use to get him off me. I had to try something.

Then, I saw it. He took a split second to recover after each blow, and it left his stomach exposed. I'd have to be fast. If I didn't time it right...

He sent his punch, which I quickly blocked, then he pulled back his arm to prepare for the next one as he swung his other fist my way. I used one sword to block the oncoming attack, and my other quickly pulled back and thrust forward into his side.

He only stopped for a second, and it wasn't enough time for me to escape. He angrily reached out and grabbed me by my hair, and I cried out in pain as he pulled me roughly against him.

"I'll admit, I'm surprised you were able to strike me at all. You are most definitely worthy of becoming our queen." He grabbed my sword and placed the cold metal against my neck. "Too bad you won't live long enough to see that fate."

I froze, terrified, trying to think of a way out. He held my back against him, one of my swords held up at an angle that could easily slit my throat. My other hand still clung tightly to its sword, but I didn't have much room to work with. One wrong move and he'd kill me without even meaning to.

I looked forward and made eye contact with Sebastian. He watched me, seemingly waiting for an order. I knew the demon behind me could move just as fast, if not faster, than Sebastian. If he tried to save me, then I'd be killed by my own sword.

Sebastian looked around for a moment, then returned his gaze to me. His eyes were telling me to stay calm, but the cold metal of my sword was then pushed closer. I felt my neck burn as he began to slice at my skin.

"What?" he asked as he began to slice my neck repeatedly. It was never deep enough to kill me, but the pain was real. "Have you lost your fight? What was that you were saying about me never winning?"

I felt blood running down my neck as I continued to stare at Sebastian, desperately seeking for him to tell me everything would be okay. His eyes never left mine, and I could tell how badly he wished he could do something.

Suddenly, something happened behind us, and I was shoved away, my sword once again slicing my neck in the process. Sebastian was in front of me in a heartbeat and caught me before I fell to the floor. He immediately began checking my neck. He sighed in relief.

"Nothing life threatening, which means we can treat you once this is over," he told me.

I nodded, then stood and looked back to see what had forced the demon to push me away. I gasped at what I saw.

Evan, Lisa, Thomas, and Sarah had all attacked him at once from behind. Thomas was now firing at anyone who came close to them, while Evan and Lisa were trying desperately to keep the demon distracted. But what hurt the most was the sight of Sarah, motionless on the floor, a large red blood spot on her clothing. 


	60. Chapter 60

"Sarah!" I screamed. "No!!!"

I started to rush toward her, but Sebastian's hold on my arm kept me back. I fought him, tried to pull away, but he just wrapped his arms around me, preventing my struggle.

I stopped squirming. "Please, get her out of here," I whispered so only he could hear me. "I'll be alright until you get back."

Sebastian hesitated. I knew he didn't want to leave me, especially in the biggest battle of our lives, but he knew how important my friends were to me.

He sighed. "I will only be gone a moment." And then he was gone, and Sarah was, too.

I picked up my swords and faced the massacre before me. Lisa had joined Thomas in taking out the army, while Evan was fighting the head demon alone. Knowing I had to do something, I ran toward them.

As I reached the demon, I swung both my swords at him at once. He turned away from Evan in time to block my attack, and left an opening for Evan to get him from behind. The demon grunted in pain, then jumped away from us. When he looked at us again, his eyes were glowing in rage.

"Clearly this isn't working how I'd thought. I'd hoped you'd be quite weak, and yet here we are." The demon was livid. His eyes darted back and forth across everyone in the room, and I knew he was trying to think up a plan.

"Funny," I told him, "I'd been told every demon knew about the prophecy. Clearly you hadn't if you thought I'd be easily beaten."

He smirked at me once again. "I'd hold your tongue, if I were you. I don't see your servant here to save you."

I looked at him for a long moment, then found myself smiling, as I finally believed the words I was about to say. "I don't need him to save me. I'm strong enough to take care of myself. For once, I want to save others."

"I'd be careful, your good heart will get you killed."

I stared him down, smirking back. "Try me."

He scoffed. "The future queen of demons, defending humans. This isn't how a demon should behave. You'll never win the loyalty of your people this way."

"Are you certain?" I heard Lisa ask as she approached us. "She has the loyalty of three of us already, and if you haven't noticed..." she left her sentence unfinished as she gestured to the crowd behind her.

Many of the demons were standing behind us, staring at the silver haired man angrily. Confused, I looked to Lisa, who gave me a small smile before looking back to the man before us.

"They don't appreciate you using them in the way you did. They overheard Chrystal while we were fighting and decided they did want a queen like her. They want someone who can rule peacefully and will protect them. And protecting others is something that Chrystal can do beautifully."

Her words moved me, but I didn't have time to focus on them for too long. I could still hear Thomas' gun shooting bullets rapidly. As I looked over, the humans were all still advancing toward him. I angrily looked back at the demon.

"Release them!" I ordered.

He smirked yet again. "I don't take orders from you. I won't let you become queen. You will not see the end of this trial!"

"Chrys, watch out!"

I turned just in time to dodge a stray bullet that someone had deflected, then looked to where the voice had come from. Sarah was standing in the doorway, a hand over her wound.

"What are you doing? You're not supposed to be here!! Where's Sebastian?"

Sarah gave a slight nod toward the attacker, and when I looked back, Sebastian was behind him. He quickly apprehended him, making sure the demon couldn't move.

"Get your hands off me!" he shouted as he struggled.

"Release these people, and I'll have my butler release you," I told him.

He scowled. "I can't release them. They're too far gone."

My mind immediately went back to my vision, where I was locked in the dungeon, unable to be saved. The same thing had happened, but not to me. These innocent people had been taken hostage and controlled, and now...

I looked back to the demon, ready to give him a piece of my mind, but found he was looking somewhere else. I followed his gaze, and I felt myself go pale as I saw where he was looking.

He was staring at Sarah, and I watched as she slowly lowered her arm from her stomach and turned to face me.

"Sarah, get out of here! Run!"

She didn't answer. Instead, she began walking toward us, her eyes never leaving mine. I could tell she was scared. She didn't know what was happening.

I took a step toward her, but Lisa grabbed my arm. I jerked away from her, and she stared at me. "Chrystal-"

"No, let me try. If anyone can get through to her, I can."

Lisa hesitated, then nodded. I turned back around to face my friend, only to find that she had picked up a discarded weapon, a dagger, and was slowly approaching all of us.

But her gaze that looked so scared and yet so malicious was fixated on me. 


	61. Chapter 61

I stared at Sarah, waiting to see what she would do. I could tell she was being controlled, but she was fighting it. Her eyes held her fear. I tried to hide mine from her. I didn't want her to freak out even more by knowing I was scared, too.

I turned to face the demon, Sebastian still holding him back. "Release her! She has nothing to do with this!"

The silver haired demon only smirked.

I glanced behind him to Sebastian, hoping he had some sort of plan. He just looked at me sorrowfully. We both knew he wouldn't let her go so easily.

I turned my attention back to Sarah, who was closer now. I could clearly see her tears as she continued slowly toward me. I took a deep breath, then lowered my swords.

"Chrystal..." I heard Lisa warn behind me.

I ignored her. "I know you're scared, Sarah. I know you can't fight him off. You know I would never hurt you, and I'm not going to now." I took a step toward her and placed my swords on the floor.

"What are you doing?" Evan asked me, stunned.

"I'm not going to hurt her." I answered loudly. "And neither are any of you."

All of the demons who had previously been attacking us backed up slightly at my commanding tone. Lisa and Evan stood their ground.

I returned my gaze to my friend, my caretaker. The woman who had spent so much of my childhood and many of her teenage years with me.

In that one moment, my mind went back to years ago, when she had first come into my life. She had originally only been hired as a babysitter for when my parents wanted to go out with friends or had business meetings or work trips or whatever. She was always over at least once a week, and my favorite times were when she would stay the night because my parents wouldn't be home until the next day. We would stay up late eating snacks and watching movies, until I would eventually fall asleep beside her.

At some point, though, she stopped coming to watch over me. Several months went by, and so did many other babysitters, but none of them were as fun as Sarah.

Finally after about six months, she returned, but she was no longer the Sarah I remembered. She didn't smile. She didn't let me stay up past bedtime. We didn't play together.

My parents had noticed my lack of excitement one day, and sat me down in the sitting room to talk.

"Listen, Chrys," my mom said gently. "We need you to be extra good for Sarah for a while, okay?"

"I'm always good!" I'd challenged.

Mom smiled. "I know you are. But for the next few weeks I need you to be even better for her. She's having a rough time right now."

I frowned. "Why? What's wrong?"

Mom lost her smile, then looked over to my father, who'd been scrolling on his phone. He sighed. 

"Look, Chrystal. Sarah's family got really sick several months ago. Her mom didn't make it, and her father was left with brain damage. He doesn't remember her."

"I don't understand," I told him. "How can he forget about her?"

Mom moved my hair from my face as she answered. "We don't know, Sweetie. All we know is that her father doesn't know who she is, and that he won't let her go back home. There are doctors working on treating him, but-"

"Then let Sarah stay here!" I exclaimed happily. "Make her my always babysitter!!"

And so they did. Sarah became a maid and my nanny, and she lived with us, using most of the money she made to pay her father's medical bills. After a few days, she was smiling again, and getting back to being herself.

One day, maybe a year later, she came to see me and her smile was a little sadder than usual.

"What's wrong?" I asked her.

She shook her head. "It's nothing."

"No, you look sad. What happened? Is it something about your dad?"

Her eyes widened, as if she was surprised I knew about her situation or that I could see through her fake smile. A moment later, she sighed. "Yeah. The doctors said there's nothing more they can do. His memory loss is more than likely going to be permanent."

I frowned, then walked over and hugged her. "I'm sorry."

She shook her head as she hugged me back. "Don't be. I'm alright. Yeah, it's sad that he doesn't know who I am, but I think I'm happier here than I ever was back home." She smiled then. "Besides, I'd always wanted a little sister."

I pulled away, confused. "I'm not your sister."

She sighed, smiling, then pulled me in for another hug. And ever since then, she stayed by my side.

My mind came back to the moment at hand. Sarah was closer to me now, and I could see the dagger shaking in her hand. I took one more look at Sebastian, then looked back to my friend and made my choice.

I took another step forward.

"Sarah," I said, trying to call out to her. "I want to play a game. Just like when I was little."

Her fearful eyes widened.

I smiled. "Trust me, okay?"

I saw her give a slight nod.

Taking a deep breath, I did the only thing I could think of to do. I don't know why, but it felt right. 

I ran toward her, ignoring everyone around me who protested the movement. I ran up to Sarah and I hugged her tight.

Her movements froze, and I could tell by the shaking of her body that she was fighting whatever the demon was trying to get her to do. I put my head on her shoulder.

"I trust you, Sarah, just like I always have. You know what's best for me."

Her arm holding the dagger moved closer to me, and I could feel the sharp point of the blade on my back.

"Sarah, listen to me. I'm here for you, just as I always have been. Like when you confided in me about your father. I may have told you I wasn't your sister back then, but you've always been the big sister I always wanted."

The blade was shaking in her hand again, slowly piercing my skin as it did so.

"I trust you," I said again. "I love you. I know it's hard. I'm here for you. I'm right here."

The dagger sank into me further. My arms around her tightened.

 _Release her,_ I started thinking to myself. _Release her. Release her. Release her. Release-_

Suddenly, her body went limp and she collapsed to the floor. I was so shocked that I only barely noticed the dagger slice my back as she fell.

"Sarah!!"


	62. Chapter 62

I looked from my fallen friend to the demon who was continuing to struggle against Sebastian's grip. I glared at him as I crouched beside Sarah. "What did you do to her?" I accused.

The demon met my gaze, his anger clear on his face. "I did nothing, but she's not under my control anymore. Now let me go!"

Several demons from the crowd suddenly jumped forward toward their master, seemingly eager to free him. I watched, worried for Sebastian, until Evan leaped after them and fought them off.

I turned my gaze back to Sarah. She was breathing, and didn't seem to be injured other than the wound on her stomach. I reached out to her, only then noticing the pain in my back. _That was one sharp dagger,_ I thought, wincing.

Lisa approached us, and I looked up at her. She was clearly looking at the injury on my back, but I ignored it as I asked, "What happened to her?"

She met my gaze and gave a kind smile. "Judging from the energy you were putting off moments ago, I'd say you freed her."

I looked up at her questioningly.

"We can talk more about it later. We have a fight to get back to." She stepped forward then and picked Sarah up gently. "I'll take her somewhere safe. Be careful."

I nodded, then stood as she disappeared from the lobby. I was slowly growing more and more aware of the blood oozing from my back, but I did my best to ignore it. I had to finish this. I could worry about it later.

I lifted my swords again and rushed forward toward the silver haired demon. He'd somehow managed to break free from Sebastian's grasp while I wasn't looking, and he was charging at me with murder in his eyes.

I quickly crossed my swords and shielded myself from his first attack, then rushed to slice him before he could recuperate from his initial blow. He jumped back, and my sword only managed to slice his shirt.

This went on for several long minutes. We would both attack and block, neither one capable of harming the other. But I was still a human, and my stamina was a lot lower than his. I was beginning to feel fatigued, and my headache was returning.

The demon took advantage of this and locked eyes with me. I felt his spell enter my mind, and I couldn't focus on defending myself both physically and mentally. I heard an order to stop, and I couldn't help but obey. I lowered my swords.

He grabbed me by my hair again, lifting me into the air. I cried out in pain and dropped one of my swords as I reached out, grabbing his arm, trying to get him to release me. He only smirked.

"Alright, girl. You've had your fun. Now, I say it's time I finished this, wouldn't you agree?"

I squirmed in his grasp, trying desperately to break free.

"Se.... Sebas-" I tried.

"Silence!" the demon yelled in my ear, his free hand grabbing my throat.

I cried in pain and fear. "Se-"

The man once again interrupted me. He screamed, then released my hair and punched me hard in the face. I heard several people call out my name in fear as I went flying across the room and my back hit the hotel's front desk, knocking the wind out of me as I collapsed to the floor in pain.

It was several long moments before I was able to catch my breath. When I was able to look up, Thomas was once again in front of me, gun raised. A beat later, Sebastian was by my side.

"Chrystal! Are you alright?"

I couldn't answer. I didn't know. My back hurt like crazy, but I couldn't tell him that. We had to finish this fight before we worried about me. I had to finally be safe.

"Please, Sebastian. End this," I met his gaze, attempting not to cry from the pain I was experiencing as I tried to stand. "I'll help hold off the others. Kill him." I blinked, and gave him a smile. "That's an order."

He gave me a sad smile of his own before nodding. He helped me stand, then rushed off to do as he was told.

I approached Thomas, still clinging to one of my swords. He gave me a worried look, and I forced a smile for him before rushing off to help fight the demons who were defending their master.

I jumped at one for the four that Evan was fighting off. He hadn't noticed me, and I was able to plunge my sword through his back. I quickly pulled it out as he turned, enraged, and sprung himself at me.

I wasn't nearly as comfortable fighting with one sword as I was with two, but I was capable of defending myself. I did just that, trying to distract as many of the demons that were still working for the silver haired man as I could. I had to give Sebastian time to fight and kill him. I fought for as long as I could before the pain in my head and back was too much to bear. A demon was able to punch me hard in the chest, and I fell backward to the ground once again.

The demon I'd been fighting stood over me, a savage look on his face as he licked his lips hungrily. I stared, unable to move, and braced myself for whatever was about to come.

But it never did. I watched as a kick sent the demon flying across the room with a cry of pain. After a moment, my vision was able to focus and I saw Lisa standing above me, watching the demon with narrowed eyes. When it didn't get back up, she turned her attention to me.

I was expecting her to ask if I was alright, or if I thought I could stand. But she didn't. Instead, she lifted me from the floor and held me in her arms.

"You know," she finally said, her attention on the fight before her, "you're supposed to be the one to kill him."

I didn't say anything for a moment. I couldn't fight anymore; I could barely move. I wasn't going to be able to kill the demon.

Slowly, I lifted my arm that was still clinging to my sword. "Give him this," I told Lisa. "We'll do it together."

She stared at me for a moment, then smiled and nodded. She took my sword, then looked over her shoulder. The next thing I knew, I was being handed over to Thomas.

I glanced up at him, and was happy to see he wasn't hurt. Slowly, my head rested on his shoulder, and my eyes refused to stay open any longer.

I heard Thomas' gentle voice before my fatigue took over say, "Everything's alright now, Chrys. You're finally going to be safe."


	63. Chapter 63

I awoke on a soft bed, lying on my stomach. I felt cold hands on my bare back, and groaned as the pain returned. The hands pulled away.

"Chrys?" a voice asked softly.

At the sound of it, all of the memories of what had happened came flooding back, and I wanted to bolt upright and see what was happening. But the pain in my back was too great. All I could do was turn my head and slowly open my eyes.

I met Sarah's worried gaze, and I felt my eyes fill with tears. "You're alright..."

She smiled, then leaned back over me. "Yes, thanks to you. I don't know how, but you talking to me was able to break that horrible spell I was under." I watched as her eyes watered. "I'm so sorry I hurt you."

I gave her a small smile. "I'm sorry you had to go through something like that. You did a really good job holding him off." Suddenly, I remembered her injury. "Sarah, how's your stomach?"

She didn't take her eyes off my back as she answered, "I woke up and the injury was gone. Lisa told me that Evan must have healed it." She shook her head. "I'll never get used to everyone around me having secret powers." Then, she turned back to her work. "This is going to sting."

I turned my face toward the pillow and braced myself. She gently took a cloth of some sort across my back, and I winced at the pain. Only then did I notice a gloved hand gently holding mine. I squeezed it tightly, and Sebastian did the same in return.

"Where are the others?" I asked through gritted teeth. "And why isn't Evan healing me?"

"Thomas left to call Jasmine and let her and the others know it was safe to return," Sebastian answered. "Evan healed the more serious wounds on your neck before he decided he should try to take care of the humans who were injured in the lobby. Lisa is down there cleaning up."

I tried not to picture the carnage that was probably all over the hotel lobby.

"How's your head?" he asked. "Have your powers settled down?"

I turned back to face them and nodded. "I think so. For the time being, at least."

Sebastian looked relieved, while Sarah was still staring intensely at my back, doing her best to clean and dress the large wounds.

"Your back is very bruised, Chrystal," she said. "I'd recommend taking it easy."

I was about to nod to her when the door opened. I couldn't see much over Sarah, I knew that dark brown hair.

"The others are on their way back," came Thomas' familiar voice. There was a pause, then he asked, "How is she?"

Sarah smiled. "Ask her yourself," she said, then stepped back.

Thomas and I locked eyes, and he smiled brightly seeing I was awake. I smiled back, taking in his appearance. He thankfully didn't seem to be hurt, but I could only imagine how pained he could be having had to shoot down so many people.

"How are you holding up?" he asked as he took a step closer.

I couldn't help but laugh. "I've been better."

Thomas sat on the other bed in the room while Sarah returned her attention once again to my injuries. We talked about what had happened during the fight. I thanked both of them repeatedly for helping, all while squeezing Sebastian's hand.

*

At least an hour had passed before the door opened again, pulling me from my dozing state. Sarah had finished taking care of my injuries and dressed me in some of Jasmine's spare clothes, as mine had been completely ruined. I was lying on my stomach in a pair of lounge shorts and a tank top, but I managed to sit up when I heard a familiar voice gasp.

I looked over to see Jasmine running up to me. She wrapped her arms around my neck tightly, and I hid my flinch of pain as I looked over her shoulder to see Maia and James smiling in the doorway.

"Sorry I wasn't the one to call you," I told Maia as I wrapped my arms around Jasmine.

She waved off my apology. "No need to fret over it. At least you're alright."

I laughed a little. "I'm still in one piece, if that's what you mean."

Jasmine pulled away slightly to look me over. Her eyes searched my front for injury, and she frowned suddenly. "Oh, Chrys..."

I smiled at her. "I'm going to be okay, Jasmine. Sarah patched me up."

Her expression didn't change. "It's over now, right?" she asked hopefully. "Truly over?"

"Her last trial has been completed. In a few days, all demons will accept her as their new queen."

We all turned toward the new voice. None of us had heard the door open, but we were relieved to see that it was Lisa and Evan who were joining us.

I looked immediately to Evan. "How did it go down there?"

His face looked grim, then he forced a sad smile. "Many of them were beyond saving, unfortunately, but the ones I managed to help are fine now. I also blocked their memories of this event. They should be able to live a normal life."

I nodded, sad that so many had died, but happy some could be saved. I snuck a quick glance at Thomas, who I could tell was trying to hide how sad he truly was.

"A few days?" James asked Lisa, still thinking about her statement.

She nodded. "Word travels fast, but it will take time for it to reach all of us. Besides, she won't truly be accepted until she becomes a demon, which is still to be decided, I'm assuming." She turned her gaze to me.

I looked down at my hands in my lap. "I've made my choice. You and Sarah are right. These powers aren't going to go away, and I don't want to live a life of fear, wondering if a demon or my powers will kill me first." I looked up then, meeting Lisa's gaze with a steady one of my own. "I'm done running. I'll be your queen."

Just about everyone in the room smiled, but my friends' faces held some concern as well.

"Well, if that is your choice, we'll turn you in a few days' time."

"Why the wait?" I asked, wondering if being injured had anything to do with it.

"You will need to get all of your affairs in order, dear," Lisa told me. "Although, it might be easier if you just leave all of your things to your servants and keep your mansion as a vacation home of sorts."

I nodded in understanding. Clearly, I had a lot to think about, but all of that could wait. All I could do for now was sit with my friends and wait for my wounds to heal so we could all finally go home.


	64. Chapter 64

We all sat around in silence for a while, not knowing what to say. No one who had fought felt like talking about what had happened down there, and the others understood. I had tried to lay down and rest, but I couldn't stay still. I was restless, and I knew why. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw either that silver haired demon, or a random image of the carnage that had become the result of the battle.

Jasmine refused to leave my side. I glanced over at her, and she had the same grim and concerned expression as all of my friends. I knew what caused it, and I couldn't keep quiet anymore. I hated seeing them like this. I had to say something.

I looked at Lisa, my eyes pleading. "Can I tell them?"

She stared at me questioningly, then looked around the room at my friends. She turned her attention back to me and gave me a knowing smile, nodding.

Jasmine held my hand tightly.

"What is it?" Sarah asked.

"Yeah, tell us what?" Maia added. Thomas watched me curiously.

I took a long, deep breath. "I know you are all sitting here and thinking about the decision I made."

Maia stood from her perch on the other bed in the room. "Chrystal, you know we only want for you to be safe and happy."

I smiled at her. "I know, and I appreciate that. You guys are my whole world, and I've been a part of your lives for many years as well. I don't want to lose any of you."

Sarah gave a sad smile. "Lisa said you had to arrange your affairs. Why don't we stay and care for the manor and you can come visit us whenever you're able?"

I sighed. "I guess that's one option, but I don't want to just visit you. I want to continue living with you. I love you guys. I don't want to spend any more time without you. Sending you away was hard enough already..."

The four of them were silent, as were James and the three demons.

I took another breath. "Since the others already filled you all in on what's been going on, and you know of my destiny and stuff, you know I'm going to become a demon like Lisa, Evan, and Sebastian." I glanced down at my left wrist, wanting to see the mark that was there. Despite the fact that I'd always kept it covered and avoided it in the past, it had become a comfort to me over the past few weeks. It was a sign of what was to come, but also that I was never alone. "And as my destiny entails, I won't be able to come visit very often, if at all. I'll be... a bit busy, more than likely. With that in mind, I've been told you can come with me if you would like to."

They all gasped. Maia in particular looked very distraught.

"We'd have to also become demons, correct?" Sarah asked.

I only nodded to confirm.

We all sat in silence for a while as they thought about their options. I grew anxious for their answers. I knew I couldn't force them to come with me, but I desperately hoped at least one of them would say yes. I really didn't want to go live in a new world without some form of normalcy and familiarity.

I didn't notice I had started nervously tapping my fingers on the bed until I felt a gloved hand cover them. I stopped fidgeting, but remained tense.

Suddenly, Jasmine grasped my free hand in hers. I looked up at her, trying not to look like I was pleading for her to come with me. I didn't want any of them to force themselves because they felt bad for me. They had to live out their own lives, while I lived out mine.

"I was so worried I'd never see you again," she spoke softly. It was in that moment I realized she was doing her best to hold back tears. "I want to go with you. Please, let me go with you. You're all I have left."

She used her free hand to cover her face, and the one holding mine grew tighter. I carefully removed my left hand from Sebastian's and wrapped it around her, comforting her while simultaneously giving her my response.

Maia and Thomas were whispering to each other, clearly undecided. I looked to Sarah, who was staring at her hands, deep in thought. The demons around me also seemed to be thinking about something.

Evan suddenly stood. "It seems you all need time to discuss and work things out. I'll head back and make sure your house is clear for when you return." He stopped for a moment, then grabbed the back of James' shirt. "I'll take him back, too. I'm sure he's got responsibilities and stuff."

Before anyone could so much as nod, the two were gone and the door was closed once more.

 _The tension in the room must have been getting to him,_ I told myself, trying to ignore what had happened and get back to the topic at hand.

Maia and Thomas had glanced back up from their discussion. They were both facing me, but their eyes were on the floor.

"I'm sorry," Maia said sadly. "You know how much you mean to me, but I just can't do it."

I felt my heart plummet, and I subconsciously held tighter to Jasmine.

"Same here," Thomas agreed. "I'd take a bullet for you, Chrys, but I just can't become something I don't want to be."

It hurt to be told no, but I understood. I was still wary of what would happen as well, but unlike them, I had no choice.

I held back my tears and nodded. "I understand completely. I don't want either of you to force yourselves just for me. Whoever doesn't want to come can stay and tend to the manor for me, unless you'd rather not. I'll come visit when I can."

Maia and Thomas both raised their heads and smiled a bit. They nodded, agreeing to stay and work at the manor.

I turned to Sarah. "You have time to think it over."

She shook her head. "I know what I want, but..."

I frowned. "You're dad?"

She slowly nodded. "I know I could leave and he wouldn't care or notice, but I can't leave him. He's disabled with no way to work to pay his expenses and medical bills-"

"Sarah," I interrupted. She looked at me, hopelessness in her eyes. "Do you want to come with me?"

She nodded.

"Then I'll take care of it. I'll pay off his bills from his treatments before we leave."

"Chrys, I can't let you-"

"What am I going to do with all of my money when I'm not in this world anymore? It's going to mean absolutely nothing to me. I'll pay off as much of his debt as I can. Then will you be able to join us?"

Sarah's eyes filled with tears and she nodded fervently, then jumped up and hugged me and Jasmine. I hugged them both, then turned to Sebastian and Lisa. They were both smiling to see the three of us so happy.

"Well," Lisa said, "now that we have that out of the way, I do believe it is time you all get some rest. It's been a very hectic day, and I'm sure Sarah and Chrystal could both use a good night's sleep." She turned to Maia and Thomas. "Let me know when you would like to leave, and I'll make sure you're on the next flight out." She glanced over to Sarah and Jasmine. "That goes for the two of you as well, of course."

The four of them nodded as Sarah, Jasmine and I settled down for the night. I hadn't realized how late it had gotten, but Lisa was right when she said it'd been a crazy day.

I got comfortable on the bed, and this time I was no longer restless. This time, I fell into a deep, restful sleep.


	65. Chapter 65

_I was alone in a large, soft bed. It was dark, but I knew how to change that._

_I sat up slowly, and with just a single thought, the candles around the room flickered to life. The room brightened, and I could clearly see the stone walls, the paintings hanging on them, a large door that I somehow knew led to a massive walk-in closet, and what appeared to be the door that led out of the room. I was in what appeared to be an old fashioned bedroom, and I couldn't say I hated it, no matter how unfamiliar it was._

_A hand on my shoulder alerted me someone else was with me. I glanced over and saw Sebastian sitting on the bed beside me, watching me worriedly. My heart fluttered at the sight of him. I felt oddly comforted knowing he was with me._ Why? _I thought. Clearly I could remember him, and he brought me a great deal of comfort, but why was that?_

_A soft knock sounded on the wooden door leading out to the hallway, pulling me from my thoughts. "Come in," I called._

_Jasmine entered the room slowly, as if she were testing the waters to see if it were safe. "How are you feeling, Chrys?" she asked._

_I saw her glowing eyes, and I felt a small tug at my heart. I pushed it away. Instead of feeling anything toward my friend, I glared at her._

_She flinched back in fear. "Your Highness," she corrected herself._

_"And don't you forget it again," I snarled._

*

I shot up in bed, choking on a scream that I was somehow able to hold in. As I adjusted to being conscious once more, I covered my face with my hands and tried to hide behind them.

I felt Sebastian's arms wrap around me carefully, avoiding my back the best he could. I leaned into his embrace, desperate for him to tell me it was only a bad dream. Of course, there was always the scary alternative.

"What happened, Chrystal?" asked Lisa's voice.

I shook my head violently until Sebastian stopped me. I refused. I would not say what I had seen around the others. I couldn't. Especially Jasmine.

"You do not need to worry," Sebastian said softly and calmly, as if reading my thoughts. "Your friends decided to go back home and prepare for your arrival. Only Lisa and I are still here."

I pulled away from him slightly and carefully removed my hands from my face. Sure enough, it was only the three of us in the room. I sighed in relief, thankful they wouldn't see me like this.

"What happened?" Lisa asked again, her voice more gentle this time.

I took several deep breaths, trying to calm down. What if that wasn't just a bad dream? What if it was a vision of my future?

"I-I..." I took another breath and closed my eyes. "I saw something, but I don't know if it was the future or not..."

Sebastian pulled me against him again.

"What was it?" Lisa asked worriedly.

I opened my eyes and stared down at my hands. "I was a demon, I think."

I paused, trying to get my thoughts together. Both Lisa and Sebastian patiently waited for me to continue.

Taking another breath, I spoke again. "I didn't see much. It was a really short dream. I awoke and sat up, and Sebastian was beside me." I looked up at him. "You looked worried, and I couldn't tell why. Then I was really confused as to why seeing you made me feel better." I paused, looking away and once again taking a breath. "And then Jasmine came in to check on me." I felt tears burn my eyes, and I turned and hid my face in Sebastian's chest. "I was so mean to her. All she did was ask how I was feeling and say my name, but I was horrible to her."

Both demons were silent for a long time once I finished speaking. I peeked at them, and noticed they were staring at each other, both wearing very serious expressions.

"What is it?" I asked cautiously. "Do you know something?"

They stayed quiet, and I gripped Sebastian's shirt tightly. What weren't they telling me?

"Remember when Sarah collapsed during the battle yesterday?" Lisa asked.

I stopped and blinked, trying to remember. She was trying to change the subject. I knew she was, but my curiosity about why she chose this topic was too great to ignore. "Yeah, why?"

"I never told you what truly happened. Don't you want to know?"

I looked between her and Sebastian, who was watching Lisa. He looked like he was trying to read the situation, figure out why she had decided to change the topic. When he caught me looking, he gave me a smile and my hand a reassuring squeeze. I relaxed, knowing he wouldn't hide anything from me unless he knew it was best that way. Maybe it was. I nodded to Lisa.

"What were you doing right before she collapsed?" she asked. 

I thought back to that moment. "I was hugging her, trying to talk to her and see if I could bring her back to me. Then I started pleading that he would release her, then she fell."

Lisa smiled. "You were exuding a large amount of energy and power during those moment, Chrystal. I believe what truly happened was you overpowered the demon's spell and released her yourself."

I stared at her, confused. "I don't understand. I don't have-"

"It appears you do. New powers are awakening in you, Chrystal. It's no wonder your body has been feeling the strain of them."

As her words sank in, I couldn't help but smile. "I saved her. I saved Sarah."

Lisa and Sebastian both smiled at me and nodded.

Happiness welled up within me. I'd finally been able to save my friends. I'd finally proven myself useful. 

My joy was short lived, however. My headache then returned with a vengeance. "You said yourself this isn't going to leave me alone," I told Lisa as I cried out in pain and held my head in my hands. "Let's hurry up and do this, then. I don't want to wait anymore." I rested my head on Sebastian's chest. "I want all of this to be over."

There was a moment of silence, then Lisa calmly said, "I'll head back now and make sure everything is ready when you arrive."

"Wait!" I called, sitting up too quickly. I spoke my question through another sharp pain. "What about what I saw? You never said anything."

Lisa came over and placed a gentle hand on top of my head. She gave me a gentle smile as she said, "A dream, dear. Nothing more."

Her hand slid down my face and caressed my cheek for just a moment, then she turned and left the room.

After a long moment of silence, Sebastian gently forced me to lay back. I felt exhausted as soon as my body was once again against the mattress.

"Do you really think it was just a dream? It looked so vivid... so real..." My eyelids fluttered sleepily.

Sebastian laid down beside me. He pulled me close, careful of my injured back, and stroked my hair comfortingly. "Rest now. We'll give Lisa the rest of the night to prepare and head back in the morning."

I couldn't argue. I was beyond exhausted and my head was killing me. I nodded, then let Sebastian's touch gently coax me back to sleep. 


	66. Chapter 66

I didn't sleep well, even with Sebastian's arms wrapped around me, protective and comforting. My dreams were filled with visions of what could happen in my near future. The ritual to change me and my friends could go wrong, and one or more of us could get hurt or worse. I saw Maia and Thomas turning on us at the last minute, pleading and fighting for us to not go through with it. I watched as the demons had to eventually knock them unconscious so they wouldn't hurt us or themselves.

I knew these weren't visions of the future. I knew I was only being tortured by these thoughts because of how scared I truly was for what was to come. I was scared of how I was to become a demon. I was scared for my friends. I was scared of my dream. Sebastian and Lisa knew something. Why didn't they tell me?

By the time I finally decided I couldn't take the nightmares anymore and got up, it was well into the afternoon. Sebastian's arms slipped away from me as I pushed myself into a sitting position, trying to rub some of the sleep from my eyes. He watched me curiously, and I shook my head.

"I can't. I don't want to see that anymore..." I told him as I stared down at my hands, tears welling up in my eyes. "I can't..."

Sebastian pulled me to him, and I quieted as I felt him embrace me. I buried my face in his chest and willed away my tears, but to no avail. I cried as he held me tightly.

Suddenly, I cried out as a sharp pain ran through my skull. I pulled back, closed my eyes and gripped my head tightly, and it took all I had to keep from crying harder.

I sat opposite Sebastian, clutching my skull, and after what felt like an eternity he pulled me back to him. After another beat, his lips captured mine.

I felt myself immediately relax as he kissed me. The images from my dreams melted away, the tears slowed, and it even seemed like the pain dulled. I sighed and leaned into him as he pulled me closer.

By the time he pulled away, my mind and body were completely relaxed. I placed my head on his shoulder, and I felt his head come to rest on mine.

"I'm going to take you home now," Sebastian's gentle voice whispered. "Sleep, My Love. You'll need your strength for what's to come."

I couldn't even manage a nod. I finally fell into a restful sleep in his arms.

*

When I woke up again, the first thing I noticed was how rested I felt. Next was the familiar warmth around me.

I opened my eyes and sat up slowly. Even through the darkness, I was immediately greeted by a familiar black blanket, along with the rest of my bedroom. I smiled. _I'm home..._

As I glanced around and took in my surroundings, I noticed I was alone. That fact saddened me greatly, but I knew everyone had things they needed to be doing. The demons were preparing for their ritual, while the others were either preparing themselves for the same thing or taking care of the house.

I was pulled from my thoughts by a light knock on the door. I moved and opened my mouth to call out to the person beyond the door, but all that came out was a small whimper. I bit my lip as the muscles in my back ached, reminding me of everything that had happened over the past couple of days.

The door opened slowly, and I glanced up to see Sebastian and Evan standing in the doorway. With one look at my expression, they both hurried into the room.

"What happened?" Sebastian asked softly.

"Nothing," I assured him. "I just moved too fast. I forgot about my back for a minute..."

I saw him relax at my answer, relieved I hadn't hurt myself further or seen anything scary.

"That's actually the reason I came up here, too," Evan spoke up. "I thought I could heal what I wasn't able to the other day."

I looked from him to Sebastian, suddenly nervous. It wasn't even about the fact that I would have to take my shirt off. Evan had already kissed me once in order to heal me, and I still didn't feel good about it. If anything, I felt I at least needed Sebastian's permission this time.

As if he could read my thoughts, he gave me a soft smile. He proceeded to sit on the bed, then opened his arms. "Come here."

I crawled over to him, and he pulled me against his chest. Then, he lifted the back of my shirt to my shoulders. "It's alright," he cooed in my ear. "You need to have as much of your strength as possible for later. This is only to help you."

I nodded and rested my head on his chest, trying to relax. He pet my hair comfortingly as he slowly removed the bandages from my back. I felt my body stiffen as he pulled, but I was able to remain calm and keep still in his arms.

Evan approached a moment later. "I would try to cloud your mind and calm you down, but I feel like it would only make matters worse, considering your stronger than me now." I could hear his kind smile as he spoke. "I'll be gentle. Try to relax."

I ended up doing the opposite as I braced myself. I wasn't expecting him to hurt me, but just imagining what he was going to do was unwelcome. It felt wrong, but according to Sebastian, it needed to be done.

"Wow," Evan breathed as he took in the wound. "I hadn't realized the cut was so deep. It definitely would've left a scar if you'd let it heal on its own."

I tried to ignore him, but was also thankful I wouldn't have a scar if he healed me. Not only did I not want a giant scar going down my back, but if Sarah ever saw it...

With that, I tried to bury myself in my mind, distract myself from what was going on around me with my thoughts. I ignored the cold fingers on my sides that were keeping me from squirming. I ignored the fact that Evan's tongue was slowly making its way over the wound. I focused on Sebastian. One of his arms was around my shoulders, holding me close while also keeping my shirt out of Evan's way. The other was still stroking and petting my hair, trying to keep me calm while I buried my face in his shirt at the unwelcome and uncomfortable sensations on my back.

After what felt like forever, my back began to tingle, just like every other time Evan had healed me. I felt his head move away and his fingers brush lightly over the injury. After another long moment, the sensations disappeared and he backed away completely.

"Like last time, I can't do anything about the bruising, but for now, the cut is gone and there shouldn't be any more pain," Evan informed me. "And after the ritual, the bruises should heal rather quickly."

I didn't make any attempt to respond to him. I stayed frozen in place, even after Sebastian lowered my shirt back down.

Another long and silent moment passed between the three of us before Evan spoke up again. "I'm going to head back downstairs and see what I can do to help there." I heard the door open and close, and he was gone.

As soon as we were alone, Sebastian used the hand that had been stroking my hair to pull me closer, and his other began to rub my back soothingly. "You're alright," he whispered. "Everything is alright."

We sat like that for a long time, until eventually he stilled his hand on my back. "Let's get you downstairs. Maia has prepared dinner for you."

I felt myself give a slight nod, but I didn't move. Sebastian's didn't seem to mind as he gently lifted me into his arms. I kept my face buried in his chest as he left the room and we slowly made our way to the kitchen.


	67. Chapter 67

I relaxed at the sight of my friends all gathered around the table. Sebastian put me down beside my chair, and I sat down and tried to give everyone a smile before looking down at the plate in front of me. I felt a lump form in my throat. Maia had prepared my favorite meal: pork chops, potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and rolls.

It was weird having everyone around the table together for the first time, especially with the additions of Lisa and Evan, but it was nice. While the three demons didn't eat anything, we still all managed to speak with one another. Like a real family.

I forced the bittersweet feeling and the tears away. Now was not a time to cry. We were eating a final meal all together before our lives changed forever.

I glanced over to Sarah. "Go ahead and pay off your father's debt after we eat. Write a check and I'll sign it. Whatever you need me to do."

She nodded. "You have no idea how much this means to me, Chrys."

I smiled. "And you have no idea what it means to me that you said you'd go with me."

"You've been my whole world for years now. Did you really think I would say no?"

I looked back down at my plate. "I didn't know what anyone would say. I was just praying I'd get to keep at least one of you around..."

She reached out and took my hand in hers. We shared a smile before we released each other and went back to our dishes.

After about an hour of eating and chatting away, Lisa stood. "Alright, everyone. As fun as this has been, three of you need to be preparing yourselves." She turned her gaze to me. "Get any last minute things done now. Our first ritual will begin at midnight."

I nodded to her, then stood from the table. Jasmine and Sarah followed suit, and together we left the dining hall and made our way to my bedroom. When we got there, I sat on the bed and looked over at Sarah. "The check book should be in the safe in my closet."

She nodded and opened the closet, then rummaged around for a moment before she stood and turned to face me and Jasmine. "Got it."

I smiled at her. "Now, write one that will pay off his medical bills, and another for him to take to the bank and cash so he can have some money to live on. I'll make sure Sebastian or one of the others delivers them both."

She looked up at me again. "Chrys-"

"I've made up my mind," I told her. "He's going to need something to help him for a little while. I'll still have plenty left for Maia and Thomas to take care of the house and themselves."

She smiled gratefully, then I watched as she wrote one large check and one smaller check. I quickly signed them both, then put them in my pocket to give to one of the demons later.

"We're really doing this," Jasmine whispered.

I took her hand. "You can still back out if-"

"No!" she cried. "No. I want to. I just don't know what to expect."

I wanted to tell her something that would comfort her, but I too knew nothing about what we were going to experience.

Sarah then took Jasmine's free hand in hers. "Whatever happens, we'll be in it together."

I nodded. "Besides, Sebastian and Lisa won't let anything happen to us." They couldn't risk anything happening to me, and they also both knew that my friends meant the world to me. We would all three make it through this. I knew we would.

My mind suddenly went back to the dream I'd had, where I was being rude to Jasmine and confused as to what was going on around me. "But," I reluctantly added, "I want to apologize in advance if something... changes me."

They both looked at me, suddenly very concerned and scared. I silently chastised myself. _I shouldn't have said anything._

"What do you mean?" Sarah asked softly.

I sighed. "I think I saw something, but it might have just been a nightmare. I woke up really confused and was rude to you. If it does happen, I don't want you to hate me for it."

"I'm sure it was just a nightmare," Jasmine reassured me. "You were probably just confused because of what happened."

"Right," Sarah agreed. "And if it does happen, then we won't take it personally, so long as you promised the same for us."

I gave them a small smile. "I promise."

*

A couple of hours later, the three of us finally made our way back downstairs. Everyone was waiting for us, but I couldn't help my eyes going straight to Sebastian.

He gave me a soft smile as I approached. I pulled the checks from my pocket and held them out to him. "I need one of you to make sure these get delivered to Sarah's father."

He took them from me with a nod.

"Say your goodbyes, girls. It's time we get this started," Lisa told us.

We all nodded, and I let Sarah and Jasmine hug Maia and Thomas, then walked over to them myself. They both hugged me tightly.

"Please come visit soon," Maia practically begged, clearly holding back her tears.

I looked between her and Thomas. "As soon and as often as I can. I promise you that."

They both smiled, then hugged each of us one last time before leaving to head to bed, wanting to stay out of our way.

"One last thing," Evan said. "Is there anything any of you would like to take with you? You'll have to pack light, but we'll be able to smuggle a few things in for each of you."

Sebastian and I locked eyes. "I have your swords and pictures of your friends and parents ready to go."

I smiled. "That's all I need."

"It's nearly midnight, Chrystal," Lisa spoke up. "Are you ready? You're first."

I looked from her to Jasmine and Sarah, both watching me anxiously. I gave them my brightest smile. "I'll see you soon," I told them, then turned to face the demons.

Lisa turned and made her way toward the sitting room. Sebastian stepped closer and took my hand and led the way, while Evan stayed in the hall with my friends. When we entered the room, I was slightly surprised to see a man I'd never met before standing there.

"He's the most skilled at these rituals. He'll make sure nothing happens to you," Sebastian whispered to me. "As will I," he added.

When the door closed behind us, the unfamiliar demon bowed to me. "A pleasure, Your Highness."

I didn't know how to react. A quick moment went by, and Sebastian led me to the couch and had me lay down. Last minute fears suddenly began to flood my mind. Was I going to be in pain? Was there any chance this could go horribly wrong? What exactly was about to happen to me?

Sensing my fears, Sebastian then leaned over and kissed me. I kissed back, almost as if my life depended on it. I didn't want him to pull away. When he did, all of my fears would return. My anxiety would spike and I'd back out.

Eventually, his lips slowly left mine, but he kept his face close. "Nothing will happen to you. I recommend sleeping. It will make it much easier on you."

I nodded, closing my eyes and trying to relax my body and my mind. Sebastian kissed me once more, then pulled away. "I'll see you when you awaken, My Love."

I slowly began to drift off to sleep. _When I wake up, I'll be a demon,_ I thought. _When I wake up, I'll be a queen._

*

The air around me was cold when I roused myself from bed. The mattress I was on was unfamiliar to me, but so seemed to be everything else. I groggily looked around the room with its stone walls and tried to find anything that was familiar.

I glanced down at myself. I was dressed in what appeared to be a black nightgown, my fingernails were black as night, and there was a mark on my left wrist, a star with a circle around it. It was the only familiar thing I could find, but I was still confused. What did the mark mean? Where had I gotten it?

Suddenly, a door opened slowly, and light flooded into the room. A girl with shoulder length brown hair about my age entered the room. Her eyes brightened in excitement when they landed on me, and she started running toward me. She was closely followed by another girl with blonde hair who seemed slightly older.

I looked at the girls beside my bed, asking me questions and speaking quickly. When I didn't answer, they both began to look at me like something wasn't right.

"Are you alright, Chrystal?" the blonde girl asked.

Finally, I found my voice. "I'm sorry, but who are you?"


End file.
